The Evil Within
by Theemeadelis
Summary: An "Originals" piece. It takes place in the weeks following the end of Season 4, and the Mikaelson's family battle with The Hollow. Mainly narrated through Freya and Keelin's point of view, and based on their experiences. ***All Chapters now uploaded for this first installment of my Freelin tale. I hope that you have all enjoyed reading it as much as I have writing it***
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

1.

Rousseau's was heaving!

Live music filled the bar as the evening's revellers could be heard shouting laughter and merriment at varying degrees of volume, in an attempt to be heard over the raucous entertainment. The air was thick with rich scents of freshly poured Liquors, blended with dense wisps of smoke diffusing through the room from lit cigarettes and cigars. It was a typical Friday evening crowd gathered in the Quarter's premier Jazz club, consisting of both locals wanting to let their hair down after a long working week, and the odd group of tourists all mainly sat in the booths near the back of the room, indulging in one of the many vibrant experiences that New Orleans had to offer.

And of course, there were a handful of witches and vampires dotted about, making up the final numbers in the room.

In any other venue, on any other evening, these latter two factions of the bar's cliental would have been found clawing at each other's throats, like all good sworn enemies should be. But not tonight. Or to put it more specifically, not in Rousseau's.

It was well known to those who lived in and around the seasoned streets of the Quarter, that the many mythical beings which usually only lurked within the horror films and books of modern culture, were far more real than just the fantasies of deranged writers and producers trying to make a buck.

Well known, but hardly ever discussed.

You see New Orleans was infamous to most outsiders as the "Big Easy". Infamous for its lively night life, it's energetic and vibrant festivals, its widely celebrated live music and new talent, and of course its colourful history steeped in Voodoo and mystery. And that is the way the people of New Orleans wanted it to remain. For if the outside world knew of what really made up the backbone of this festival town, the tourist trade would surely plummet faster than the stock market of 1929, taking with it all the lucrative spending which kept the city ticking over day to day.

So the local people kept quiet about the real heart and soul of their home. And for the most part, they turned a blind eye to all the horrors and despair that came hand-in-hand with it.

And there was plenty of Horror.

But in Rousseau's life went on as normal – or as normal as a city full of the undead could ever hope to be. There was a sort of unspoken law that held fast amongst both the magical and immortal residents that dwelled in the Quarter. A law which stated that come the weekend, when the remains of the day were only a memory of captured heat in the ground and a fast shrinking orange line glowing on the far western horizon – Rousseau's became a safe haven for those souls who simply wanted to have fun. Ancient feuds were left at the door, right next to the regular's coats, hats, and mundane troubles of the working week. Sons and daughters of families locked in centuries worth of bitter, and often bloody disputes, would put aside their hatred for the evening and simply settle for avoiding each other on the dance floor whilst partaking in the nights merriment. It was an unspoken law that had been upheld since the bar had opened many decades ago.

And it was an unspoken law that Rousseau's bar manager, Josh, always felt eternally grateful for.

This particular evening, he was also grateful for the exceptionally talented Saxophone player who was currently entertaining his bar's patrons. The musician's graceful manipulation of the classic instrument was helping to take his mind off a potentially disastrous situation that was unfolding back at his own apartment.

Freya had been in the process of magically torturing the Hollow's murderous, High Priest – _what was his name again, Dominic maybe, he was always so bad at remembering names_ – when she had suddenly and unceremoniously thrown him out of his own apartment, his services apparently no longer needed.

His own apartment!

If it wasn't for the fact that Marcel was currently missing, and thus most of the Quarter's vampires were otherwise engaged in the search for their affore mentioned leader, Josh would have returned back to his home with a group of the King of New Orlean's finest, to show that self-important Mikaelson witch exactly who was in charge in this city.

But of course, that hadn't happened.

So here he was, back working behind the bar of Rousseau's, trying to not think about the bloody state that his apartment was no doubt now in.

Josh was in the process of pouring a shot of Jack Daniels for what he gingerly thought was a particularly handsome looking tourist, when he glanced up suddenly at the sound of Rousseau's front door opening with what seemed like an overkill of force.

Through it stormed a woman that he had briefly met earlier that same evening, here in the bar. She had been in maybe 40 minutes earlier, looking as though she was in desperate need of a doctor, and asking for the whereabouts of the Mikaelson witch, Freya. He had reluctantly sent her up to his apartment, where he had believed Freya would still be in the midst of dismembering the Hollow's high priest. Reluctantly, because she had seemed like a nice, "normal" lady to him, and certainly not someone who should be getting themselves involved with that deplorable family. But she had insisted that she was a friend of Freya's and that it was urgent that she find her, so Josh had agreed to point her in the right direction. Mainly because it had looked like the woman had already had enough of being messed around for one evening. Although how anyone as obnoxious and overbearing as Freya could have someone even close to being a friend, was beyond him.

And now here the mysterious woman was again - looking a lot less like she belonged in a hospital, but a hell of a lot more angry _._

 _Yep,_ he thought, _she'd found Freya alright. Only someone who'd spent some time in the presence of a Mikaelson could possibly look that pissed off._

Studying her as she made her way through the crowd towards the bar, it occurred to him that she not only looked less injured than she did earlier, but that she was in fact completely healed. All the cuts and bruises that had marred her face less than an hour ago, had now totally vanished. This, Josh knew, could mean only one of two things; either she'd happened to find a willing vampire to give her some of its healing blood, or she was indeed herself more than first met the eye.

Given how annoyed the lady now looked, he hoped for the safety of both his bar and his patrons, that it was the first scenario and not the latter.

"From the look on your face miss, I'd say that you definitely need a drink", Josh said to her as she reached the bar and seated herself on a barstool.

She quickly looked up at him, with a somewhat hard anger gleaming in her eyes. But then her gaze softened slightly and she sighed, seemingly realising that the man stood in front of her was not the object of her ire.

"Yeah, a tequila please. Better make it a double!"

* * *

2.

Keelin was angry. Hell, she was more than angry - she was furious!

She couldn't remember the last time she had felt so infuriated at someone - nor could she remember any other person having the ability to get her so worked up as quickly as had just happened a few minutes ago.

She was of course a wolf - a fact which itself brought with it certain traits and disadvantages when it came to trying to control the flow of her emotions. Wolves were notorious for being quick to temper, and even quicker to lash out at any individual who caused that temper. They were for the most part a slave to their emotion's, living day to day on the rollercoaster ride of high's and low's that their excessively elevated level of hormones dictated. If a number of them lived together in close quarters for any excessive period of time, it could be guaranteed that several fights would break out on a regular basis. And not all of those altercations would end up with everyone involved retaining possession of all of their limbs.

Such was life in a pack.

But for Keelin it had been different. She had worked hard over the past few years trying to control her wolf nature, and all of the emotional outbreaks that came with it. Being a doctor, with access to medical laboratories on a daily basis, she had been able to create a serum - a cocktail of drugs so to speak - which had helped to subdue the side of her personality that was a constant slave to the cycles of the moon.

And then of course she had met the Mikaelson witch, Freya. Who over the course of enlisting Keelin's help with family matters, had given her a Kyanite ring which had been infused with the Witch's magic. The ring was designed to give her complete control over her Wolf nature, meaning that she no longer had to suffer the unwanted surge of emotions that could suddenly build up within her at the drop of a hat. Incredibly she was also no longer cursed to turn into her true wolf form on every full moon, against her will. She could finally just be….human.

So why then, did she currently feel like she was very close to losing that tenuous grip on her calm humanity, in favour of morphing into the very being she fought to supress?

Freya.

Their relationship had not exactly gotten off to a smooth start. In truth, it had been a-rough-a beginning as Keelin imagined there could ever be for a fledgling friendship.

Having been kidnapped by Hayley, Keelin had been held hostage by the Mikaelson family as they had strived to find a cure for powerful venom that had the potential to wipe out their whole clan. Freya, the family's oldest sister, and a very powerful Witch, had needed a source of Malroux wolf venom to complete a serum that she had been working on. One which would help to cure two of the Witch's brothers who had already been infected by the bite of Marcel Gerrard. And with Keelin being the last surviving member of the Malroux wolf line, it had all come down to her to provide the final ingredient needed.

She shuddered slightly, as she remembered the method which Freya had employed to extract her wolf venom. The ominous face mask that she had been made to wear, had been both excruciatingly painful and extremely claustrophobic. And despite her captor's constant re-assurance that she had been more valuable to their family alive than dead, Keelin had had a hard time believing that particular promise when the awful agony caused by the mask had been coursing through her veins. It had taken all of her strength and will power just to remain conscious, and not to slip away into the beckoning void of darkness that had constantly threatened to overcome her whilst the mask was engaged.

However, once a few days had passed and apparently enough of her venom had been collected, Freya had stopped forcing her wear the extractor mask, and slowly started seeing Keelin as an actual person, instead of just a means to an end for her family's survival.

Keelin suddenly and abruptly laughed to herself, despite her current dark state of mind.

She recalled Freya's first attempt at an apology for the pain and distress that she had put her through, and smiled slightly, before quickly shaking her head and returning to her deep scowl. The mighty Viking witch, so severe in her manner, so devout in her loyalty and dedication to her family, and so adamant that nothing stopped her from achieving her goals no matter what the cost - had been hurt by a little antiseptic wipe which Keelin had been using to clean a wound on the witch's head. Freya's small yelp of pain had been the cutest thing that Keelin had heard in a long time, and if she admitted it to herself, it was probably the first moment when she had realised that Freya was beginning to get under her skin.

Well she was certainly under her skin alright, but not in a good way this night. Right now, sat on the sticky bar stool in Rousseau's as the loud jazz music washed over her, Keelin was just about ready to give the self-righteous ancient witch an almighty slap for how she had just treated her.

As she had been leaving her job interview earlier today, at St Theodora's Health Clinic in the 9th, Keelin had been attacked by a large group of strangers, all of whom had seemed intent on violently ending her life. However thanks to the bewitched ring that Freya had given her a couple of weeks earlier, she had been able to tap into her wolf nature to boost her strength and reflexes. Keelin had successfully fended off her attackers and escaped, though not completely unscathed. The mob had managed to get a few good blows to her face and ribs before she could injure enough of them to provide a clearing to escape through.

On returning to the Quarter she had come looking for Freya here at Rousseau's, as they had made arrangements earlier in the day to meet at the lively club for a midnight drink. The bar manager - who she could see was still nervously watching her out of the corner of his eye whilst he served another thirsty patron - had eventually told her that Freya was up in his apartment, apparently attempting to hold a dangerous witch captive.

As Keelin had entered the loft, she had seen that Freya was alone and unconscious on the floor. Unbridled panic and fear had instantly washed over her as she ran to her friend's side to check for a pulse. Freya had been dead. There had been no heartbeat pushing against the frightfully cold, unmoving woman's neck, and Keelin's eyes had widened in horror at the realisation. Thankfully, all her years of medical experience had instinctively taken over, and she had quickly performed emergency CPR, eventually bringing her friend back to life with a sudden gasp for air.

Greatly relieved, Keelin had been trying to check that Freya was medically stable, when the ever determined witch had muttered something about one of her spells failing, and run off out of the apartment. Just like that - gone!

Worried and confused, Keelin had hastily followed Freya back to the Mikaelson's home, where they had been met by a horrific scene of blood and carnage. Bodies and the severed limbs of various people had been strewn across the whole of the compound's courtyard, and it had been instantly clear to Keelin that all of them were no longer in the land of the living.

And that was when it had happened.

Keelin had discovered that one of the lifeless forms on the cold stone ground had belonged to Hayley, and had shouted Freya over to help her move the Hybrid into a better position to heal. But as Freya had come to her side, the witch had roughly pushed Keelin out of the way, and harshly told her to leave, implying that she was just getting in the way. As though Keelin was suddenly nothing but an annoying irritant that Freya just needed rid of. It was like the past couple of weeks of their growing friendship and warm moments, had never happened. Like they were abruptly back in that Bayeux barn, with Keelin shackled up to the venom extractor, and Freya looking down upon her with hard, calculating eyes.

She had of course tried to protest, but Freya's cold resolve had been unmoving. It was though Keelin had no longer been there - an insignificant background distraction that was simply to be ignored until it disappeared.

With tears threatening to betray her eyes, Keelin had reluctantly left both the compound, and Freya behind.

And now here she was. Sat at the bar in New Orleans liveliest establishment, nursing her 4th tequila of the evening, whilst she tried in vain to make sense of the hurt and anger that was ravaging through her. She could feel that her wolf body had already finished healing away the various cuts and scrapes that had been left on her face from the earlier encounter outside of St Theodora's. But no supernatural restorative power could remove the injuries that her heart had just suffered so suddenly at the hands of the girl she had spent so much time with over the past month.

The Viking witch could be so infuriating. Always so determined to keep everyone at arm's length. Always so certain that her family's needs had to come before her own.

Keelin had watched Freya continuously push the outside world away in favour of tirelessly working to protect her brothers and niece. Often at the cost of the witch's own health and happiness. But over the past few days, Keelin had genuinely believed that she was finally starting to make small steps of progress in helping Freya see that there could be more to life than just death and destruction. They had actually been having fun together. A few stolen moments here and there, when the powerful witch had truly relaxed in Keelin's presence, and showed her softer, fun side.

She again found herself smiling, despite the hurt rumbling inside. Freya's laugh had a certain way of disarming her every time she had the pleasure of witnessing it. Keelin knew that there was an aspect to Freya's personality that the witch tried her upmost to subdue, in fear of it hindering her ability to be the ever protective big sister. She had seen it. And she had been secretly encouraging it.

Why? That was the question now burning into Keelin's conscious – why was she so concerned about the Mikaelson's oldest member? This was someone who only a few weeks earlier had been intent on wreaking a great deal of pain on her. Just to further her own personal gain.

In truth, Freya had ruthlessly, and systematically tortured Keelin so that she could extract her wolf venom - knowing that it caused her extreme discomfort. All things taken into consideration, Keelin should have hated the enigmatic blonde.

She did hate her! How dare the witch just dismiss her like she was nothing. Like she was an insignificant afterthought who was easily discarded once her use had been exhausted. It was as though Freya had been completely unaware just how much Keelin had been thinking about her over the past couple of weeks. As though she was totally blind to the feelings that the Wolf had been increasingly pouring into their interactions. As though…..

"Seems to me like you are trying to drink away some heavy issues there, miss"

Keelin was abruptly dragged out of her inner monologue by the bar manager's unexpected address. He was stood right in front of her, looking somewhat concerned.

"Ah….yeah. Something like that".

Keelin quickly tried to gather some inner composure, as she avoided the patrons searching gaze.

"Look, it's probably not my place to comment on such things, but…"

The young man trailed off mid-sentence, as though he was searching for an indication that what he was about to say wouldn't cause further ire to the weary woman in front of him.

"….well I just think that a nice lady like you could do herself a great favour by not getting involved with that family!"

Keelin amusedly raised an eyebrow, and looked the young man directly in the face.

"Do I know you?"

"Well - no, not really. But I think we both have something in common regardless", Josh remarked as he began pouring Keelin her 5th tequila shot of the evening.

"Really? And what may that be", she gingerly enquired whilst watching the glass in front of her rapidly fill with liquor.

"That we are both better off without the Mikaelson family in our lives!"

Josh watched the woman's face outwardly flip through a full range of different emotions, all in a matter of seconds, before seeming to settle on one of bemusement.

"I'm sure I don't know what you are talking about", she replied to him. Though the look in her eyes told a different story.

"Ha. Well maybe you do, and maybe you don't", Josh amused as he watched her quickly down the shot before slamming it back down onto the solid oak bar. "But from one tortured soul to another, let me give you a piece of advice".

Keelin didn't quite know where the bar manager was going with this trail of conversation, but she was surprisingly intrigued none the less. The young man had certain aura of virtue about him, despite the onslaught of odours that her nose was currently fending off, which betrayed him as being one of the many vampires that inhabited New Orleans.

He seemed…oddly innocent.

"Nothing good will come from tying to be-friend the Witch".

Keelin's thoughts quickly sobered.

"I'm sorry, are you an acquaintance of the family's?" she asked him curtly.

"Well, let's just say we have crossed paths a few times over the past couple of years."

Josh made a start on topping up the once again empty shot glass in front of Keelin, whilst he waited for her to absorb his last comment.

Seeing that the brunette was beginning to slip back into her own thoughts again, he quickly followed up.

"I have to ask…are you really a friend of Freya's?"

There was a short pause, as she considered the many implications that his question raised.

"I….I don't know what I am to her."

Josh saw that tears were beginning to brim in the woman's eyes suddenly.

"I think we were friends, yes. And I….well I think that I wanted more too."

"Really?" Josh had to check the tone of his voice suddenly, as he realised that the surprise leaking into it could have been taken the wrong way. "I mean, not that there would be anything wrong with that, I mean, it's totally all cool in my book…."

Keelin looked up at the bar manager again, slightly tickled by his rapid descent into tongue tangled embarrassment.

"I mean…well what I meant to say is that, um….Freya? Really?"

She nodded at him gently, the hint of a small smile playing on her lips.

"Huh", Josh exclaimed. "I guess there really is someone for everyone one hey".

Keelin exhaled heavily, and returned to looking at the stained oak bar upon which her drink sat. "It doesn't matter anyway, not after tonight. She made it very clear that I'm just an annoyance to her. Threw me out of her family home like I was a nobody. Certainly not like I was the friend who had just saved her life!".

Josh studied the woman for a brief moment, realising that despite all the violence and drama that she had clearly been through this evening, the thing that was upsetting her the most, was the prospect of no longer being a part of the Mikaelson witch's life.

Sighing, he figured that notwithstanding his disdain for ancient Original family, the concept of heartache was something that he could certainly sympathise with.

"Does she know, how you feel about her?", he asked gently.

Keelin met his eyes, and a small tear ran its way down her right cheek as she finally gave in to the emotion that was building up inside of her.

"I've not exactly told her, no. I was going to, but then with everything that's been going with her family, and now with what has happened tonight, there's just not been a chance. And…well to be honest, I've been a little scared too".

"Scared? That she doesn't feel the same way about you?" Josh asked.

Keelin sighed.

"Yes."

* * *

3.

Freya was beyond the point of tired. Her body felt drained and weary, with every muscle aching as though she had run a marathon in just the last hour.

As she said her brief goodbyes to her family for the evening so that she could make her way up to the Bell-Tower and consult her grimoires, it finally hit her just how close she had come to dying at the hands of the Hollow's high priest, Dominic. She wasn't like the rest of her family, who were all cursed with immortality - the ability to shrug off death like the average guy shrugged off a paper-cut. When Freya finally died, that would be it, the concluding curtain call on the story of her life. There would be no second, third, or fourth act for her to re-animate in and try to improve on her past mistakes.

She had of course come into this life gifted with power, and a lot of it too. As the first born witch of a family already endued with great mystical energy, Freya had inherited an abundant amount of mystical clout from the blood of her ancestors. And thanks to a now expired curse that had been placed on her by her late Aunt Dahlia, she had had several centuries over which to hone her craft too, and cultivate her potent spell casting. But that life extending curse had expired along with the aunt who had cast it, leaving Freya every bit as mortal as the human body she had been born into.

A fact that had been made painfully clear that evening.

How had she let it get that close? Her plan had been solid – lure the high priest to Josh's apartment through the guise that Marcel was being held there, and then trap him within a small localised boundary spell, so that she could extract the whereabouts of the Hollow's 3 remaining bone pieces from him. By force if necessary!

And she had succeeded in trapping him too, his ability to escape disabled and his magic immobilised by the ring of cursed talismans that she had enclosed him within. Freya had been in the process of demanding that he explain what the meaning of the phrase "Apesai" was - when he had said one solitary word which had shocked her out of focus.

Keelin.

He had unexpectedly claimed to know about the Malraux wolf, and her connection to Freya - insinuating that he had sent a group of the Hollow's followers to ambush and kill Keelin, outside of Theodora's Health Clinic where she had been interviewing for a job.

And for the first time in Freya's life, she had panicked and lost focus. The thought that Keelin might have been in mortal danger whilst Freya was far away and unable to protect her, had damn near paralysed the witch. Cold, piercing dread had flowed through her body, as she demanded that Dominic tell her more details. She had then rapidly angered when he had refused.

It was that anger which had nearly cost her everything.

How could she have let herself become so unfocused like that? Her family's home had been under a boundary spell that she had cast earlier that day, linked it to her own life-force as per the usual requirement for such a spell. When she had been busy tormenting about Keelin, the witch Dominic had gotten the upper-hand and caused Freya's heart to stop beating, knocking her out cold in the process. Consequently the boundary spell had fallen, allowing the High Priest and numerous more of the Hollow's followers to enter the compound and terrorise her family. Had it not been for the quick thinking of Marcel, her young niece Hope would have been discovered, and….no, she couldn't bring herself to visualise what horrors the poor child would have had to endure at the mercy of the Hollow and its followers. And it would have all of been Freya's liability, for putting someone else before the needs of her family. For losing focus on her sole responsibility to protect her brothers and niece.

For caring about Keelin.

She and the Malraux wolf had certainly become closer over the past few weeks, she could no longer deny that. Despite having been kidnapped by the Mikaelson family, and despite all the pain that Freya had made her endure, Keelin had selflessly helped her day and night to produce a cure for Marcel's venom. Then subsequently she had also aided Freya in crafting the dagger which would enable her brother Klaus to kill the self-proclaimed King of New Orleans. In doing so, the wolf had made Freya begin to question her own actions, and treatment of other people.

And that essentially was the problem. Keelin's influence had been making her listen to a conscious that had never been there before. That she had never wanted.

Freya had spent years being the ruthless older sister, forsaking all to protect her family. She had lost count of the number of hard-hitting and morally doubtful decisions she had had to make, all in the name of shielding her kin. And all without putting much thought into the consequences that those actions might have on her soul.

5 years ago she had sent young Davina to a premature grave, casting the witch into the beyond so that she could harness the resulting power surge and bring her brother Finn back from the grave. She had held no particular grudges against the adolescent witch, and certainly would not have called her an enemy. But the fact had remained that the only way to obtain the level of power Freya had needed to cast the resurrection spell for her brother, was to kill Davina. So she had, with unwavering conviction.

That was the level of mercilessness and commitment that was required of her. Her family had to come first. Always and Forever – it was their motto to each other. One that Freya intended to uphold until the day she died. She couldn't let anything come in the way of that. She had to be the strong and hard older sister. The one who they could depend on to have their backs and to protect them, even if it meant putting all of her own needs and emotions aside.

Even if it meant letting go of Keelin.

That last thought bit down hard on her emotions, leaving a disagreeable taste in her mouth that physically made her wince. As Freya left the compound's grounds, and began to walk down the Quarter's main street towards the Bell Tower, she found herself unexpectedly torn between the familiarity of her ruthless family commitment, and a blossoming feeling deep within her, that she now realised had been growing slowly over the past couple of weeks.

The reason Dominic had been able to distract her so easily and come so dangerously close to killing her, was that he had correctly fathomed her one weakness. One that had only just recently materialised. She was beginning to have feelings for Keelin.

No! She could not let that happen. Would not!

They had just been spending a lot of time together, that was all. Of course she was going to have become friendly with the wolf. After everything they had accomplished together over the past month, day and night spent in the Bell-Tower researching ways to bring an end to the threat of Marcel's venom - it was only natural that she would feel a certain comradary towards Keelin. But that was it.

She could not let careless mistakes like this night's mess happen again. Feelings or not, she refused to let the confusion inside of her take control of…..

"Freya?"

The witch slowly looked up from the ground that she had been glaring at whilst walking, lost in her thoughts.

It was Keelin. She was slowly making her way in Freya's direction, from across the street.

"I assume your family is ok?"


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1.**

 ** _"The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled, was convincing the world he didn't exist"_**

1.

It was an uncharacteristically warm day in the Quarter, considering the maturity of the time of year.

A cloudless sky housed the sun in all of its late autumnal glory, with rays of cowed heat raining down upon the numerous people going about their daily business. The day's bright light glistened off colourful shop windows and various trinkets hanging up outside of stores, giving the town's ambience a vivid injection of life.

Though it was only midday on an unassuming average Tuesday, the main streets flowing through the heart of the community were already brimming with activity - the ever present undertone of the city's carnival nature simmering in the air. The many bars and café's that lined the roads of New Orleans all had their outside tables and chairs in full use, loaded with a mixture of regulars enjoying their daily lunch, and passing tourists who discussed impressions formed of the fiesta town.

As Freya Mikaelson sat slouched in one of those chairs wearily gazing out over the bustling crowds, she briefly wondered to herself how a city so packed full of deadly monsters and malevolent spirits, could still manage to appear ever vibrant and vivacious to the naked eye. Such was the charm of the New Orleans.

"Are you sure that you wouldn't rather go home and grab some sleep?"

Freya snapped back into the moment, and turned her head sluggishly to look her companion seated across the table. Hayley had an expression of genuine concern on her face, albeit mixed somewhat with a hint of amusement. The hybrid was gently stirring her freshly poured Mimosa with a cocktail stick, causing the ice in the glass to clink together in a particularly refreshing manner.

"Sorry Hayley, I'm ok. I'm just a little tired that's all", Freya murmured as she attempted to hoist herself up into a more alert sitting position. "It's been ages since we have had time to relax and have a drink together – I won't let a little lethargy get in the way".

Hayley's face betrayed that she was not 100% convinced by the witch's half-hearted declaration of wellbeing, but she appeared to shrug off any concerns nonetheless, in favour of returning to their original topic of conversation. The particular subject had been gaining momentum since they had first started to make their way from the family compound over to Rousseau's, and now the hybrid jumped in for the proverbial kill.

"So do you love her?"

Freya felt a small ball of panic quickly grow in the pit of her belly, and she hoped that the inner sensation wasn't currently being betrayed in her expression.

"She means a lot to me. More than I ever thought someone outside of our family could".

The hybrid let out a quick, sharp laugh, and took a long sip of her drink whilst she eyed Freya with mischievous eyes.

"You're avoiding the question, Freya. "

"And you're making me uncomfortable, Hayley", the witch laughed nervously as she reached for her own beverage.

Taking a welcome swig of her spiced rum Mojito, Freya quickly contemplated Hayley's question further.

After she and Keelin had finally admitted their growing feelings to each other on the night that Freya had almost died, they had progressed surprisingly quickly into a physical relationship. Her first time making love to the wolf had been both a passionate and eye opening experience for the witch. Freya had not known that her body was capable of desiring another's quite so feverously and urgently as she had Keelin's on the morning they had consummated their connection. The unspoken bond between them that had slowly been growing in intensity over the course of a few weeks, had climaxed in an almost explosive manner, with Freya no longer being able to contain the desire that she held for the wolf.

To her, it had been magical.

And being the powerful witch that she was, Freya certainly knew what magic felt like!

Their mutual exhilaration over that first time together was however, cut abruptly short. The Hollow had taken host within Hope's young body, and much drama had ensued as the Mikaelson's had fought against time to find a way to sever the connection between the ancient spirit and their youngest family member.

But even through the intense struggle that she and her family endured whilst trying to exorcise the Hollow from Hope, Keelin had stood firmly by Freya's side, being the ever present rock that she could lean on in times of distress. The wolf had even accepted the decision that Freya had made to transition into a Vampire - without hesitation. She had feared that the need for her to become the very monster which had slaughtered all of Keelin's family pack, would be the last straw for the wolf, and that Keelin would walk out of the her life for good. But once again her lover had surpassed Freya's expectations, and declared only solidarity to their blossoming bond.

Thank god Kol had shown up when he did though, Freya thought, as she still wouldn't have liked to put the wolf's resolve to the test, quite so early in their tryst.

Their connection was definitely strong. But was it love?

Yes, Freya finally admitted to herself. The warm sensation and protectiveness that washed over her whenever she thought of her wolf lover, most probably was love. But she was certainly not ready to admit that to anyone other than herself. Too many times had she watched her family members come undone thanks to their love of another. And too many times had she seen the object of their affections tragically lose their life, simply because they had cared for one of the seemingly cursed Mikaelson's.

Freya refused to let anything bad happen to Keelin, simply because she was falling in love with her.

"Well, I think it is love - even if you won't admit it", Hayley perceptively commented, smiling as she glanced out into the surrounding crowds. "I just hope that you are making enough time to spend with her. I only ever see you up in the Bell-Tower lately, head buried in your Grimoires!"

Hayley was not wrong in her critique. Freya had been devoting all of her free time as of late up in the tower trying to figure out what exactly had happened to the Hollow's spirit on the night that Vincent's plan had been unsuccessful. She was convinced that their enemy was still dwelling in New Orleans somewhere, and the possibility that it could re-surface at any time was a threat too great for Freya to ignore. Consequently she had been spending endless hours in self-seclusion, scrying for any trace of the ancient spirit.

To date, she had not been successful.

"I'm just worried that if we let our guard down, the Hollow will strike again and we'll be unprepared. I can't let her get that near to our family again, not after what she put Hope through. I won't!"

"I understand Freya, and I am just as concerned as you are", Hayley said solemnly. "But we need to take stock, and keep the facts in mind. Neither you nor Vincent have been able to detect any trace of the Hollow's presence since she was removed from Hope, and that was what - two weeks ago now? "

"But…"

"I know", Hayley interjected quickly before Freya could continue. "I know the threat is probably still out there. But right now, I think we need to focus on re-grouping our strength, and deciding what will be best for Hope moving forward."

Freya sighed heavily, as she lowered her gaze from Hayley's.

If only she could figure out what had gone wrong with their previous attempt to thwart the ancient spirit. She knew that would likely be the key to finding where the malevolent bitch was now currently hiding. What had she and Vincent done wrong? Had their combined power not been great enough to finish the task? Or had Vincent simply missed a variable from his calculations, when constructing the spell to shatter the spirit's form?

Sipping on her cocktail, and half listening to Hayley go on to talk about the possibility of moving Hope to a boarding school in Mystic Falls, Freya began to systematically run over in her mind that whole fateful night from 2 weeks ago…once again.

* * *

2.

The original ploy to remove the Hollow's spirit from Hope had been fraught with danger, and would have literally ripped their family apart. But it had been carefully crafted - and if successful, would have been effective in preventing the evil spirit ever returning to terrorise their world again.

The idea had been simple; Vincent was to combine his power with Freya's and force the ancient spirit out of Hope's sleeping body, to then magically rip it apart into 4 separate entities. Each segment of the Hollow's soul would then be embedded into a different Mikaelson vampire, trapping it there within their bodies. The result would have meant that neither Klaus, Elijah, Rebecca, or Kol, could ever again be in the same vicinity as each other.

And none would ever again be able to see Hope.

That last consequence had hit Klaus hard. Knowing that he would not get to see his own daughter grow into the amazing women that he knew she would become, was almost too much for the ruthless hybrid to bear. But there had been no other option available to them, and time had been extremely short.

All had not, however, gone to plan.

As soon as Vincent had exorcised the spirit from little Hope, an enormous surge of energy had exploded out from the blue, pulsating force. All those present in the room, with the exception of Hope and Hayley, had been violently hurled from where they stood, causing most of them to instantly lose consciousness as they impacted with various objects and walls within the room.

Hayley had instinctively curved her body around Hope's reclined form, protectively burying her head into her daughter's neck in an attempt to prevent any harm befalling her. It had been a good few minutes before she had dared to part herself from the young witches clench, to survey her surroundings.

All of her family had been lying strewn across the compound's courtyard, unmoving, and seemingly unconscious. Even Vincent had been incapacitated, crumpled on the floor next to Freya's unmoving form. Hayley had reluctantly left Hope's side, and rushed to their still bodies. They were the only two in the room who were not immortal, and hence the only two in real danger of not having survived the blast.

Vincent had been stirring slightly by the time the hybrid checked for his pulse, so she had left him to come round on his own, whilst tending to Freya. The witch had taken a severe knock to her head, and required some of Hayley's healing blood to bring her back into the waking world.

Confusion had quickly followed when all those present were once again conscious and alert.

None of the four intended immortal hosts had felt any presence of the Hollow's spirit within them. Hope had, for the most part, been back to her normal self, albeit upset and confused by the intensity of the atmosphere around her. Vincent had been the most perplexed of them all. He had seemed bewildered, and deeply troubled that his spell to fragment the Hollow had failed. As soon as it had been determined that the spirit was definitely no longer amongst them, he had left the compound in somewhat of a daze, muttering to himself that he needed to speak with the ancestors.

Relieved to have not been suddenly forced out of his daughter's life, Klaus had immediately scooped Hope into his arms and whisked her away, deeper into the compound – with Hayley quickly following behind. Keelin had descended downstairs to be at her girlfriend's side, and the remaining family members continued to wonder at what could have happened to the Hollow's spirit.

No solutions had been reached that evening, and Freya had been left feeling both irritated and worried. She'd accompanied Keelin to St. Theadora's, where the wolf was due to start an all-night graveyard shift at the clinic. Their walk had for the most part been spent in silence, both women wordlessly contemplating the evening's events, as they had strolled hand in hand. Upon parting, Keelin had told Freya to try and get some rest when she got home, as she was worried the witch could still have a slight concussion, despite having consumed some of Hayley's blood.

That of course, hadn't happened.

Freya had fled straight to her mystical den within the Bell-Tower, and begun her tireless research into tracking the Hollow's essence. She hadn't known where to begin looking, but knew that she had to at least try…for all her family's sakes.

* * *

3.

Vincent awoke with a start, loudly gasping for air as he quickly sat upright on the floor.

His head was pounding with a crushing headache, and his vision seemed to be blurred as he tried his best to ascertain his bearings. All round him seemed to be cloaked in a thick, viscous like darkness that was refusing to let any light pass through it. Struggling to see more than a foot or so in front of himself, he tried to gather his strength and find his voice.

"Hello? Is anyone there?"

His speech came out croaky and distorted, as though he was listening to himself speak through the hiss of a static radio. Something was definitely amiss, and he started to wonder if he had somehow passed over to the spirit world without realising it.

"Hello? Can anyone hear me?"

Again an interfering static filled the dense air around him, reverberating his voice as though along imaginary power lines.

Pushing down onto the floor with his hands, Vincent hoisted himself up onto unsteady legs. He swayed slightly for a few seconds as he fought to maintain his tenuous balance. Waves of dizziness crashed over him, and it took all his will power not to throw-up his previous meal's contents across the hard floor upon which he precariously stood.

Closing his eyes for a few seconds to try and grasp onto some composure, he wrestled through his headache in an attempt to remember that last thing he had been doing before waking up here, dazed and confused. The pain in his head however quickly escalated when he tried to concentrate, and threatened to overwhelm him completely. He hastily ceased the taxing attempt – rubbing his temples gently with his hands in an endeavour to will the discomfort away.

Just as he was about to call out into the emptiness again, Vincent was suddenly struck with the notion that he was not as alone in the dark void as he'd originally thought. Tiny hairs running down the back of his neck all started to stand up on end, as a shudder rapidly ran down the length of his whole body. The air around him swiftly appeared to take on a new, more sinister like quality - as though a thousand unseen eyes were all gazing upon him, hidden just beyond his field of vision.

He had the distinct impression that he was being examined. His strengths and weaknesses rapidly judged by an invisible presence.

"Is someone there?"

The sensation of intense scrutiny disappeared as quickly as it had descended.

Gradually, the dark emptiness stretching out in front of Vincent started to appear a little brighter. He thought that he could begin to make out the beginnings of shapes. Figures. Blurred silhouettes of people standing at various intervals on the far horizon.

With a faint hope nervously building up within, he began to try and walk towards the sketchy scene that was materialising ahead. Placing one foot tentatively in front of the other, Vincent built up an unsteady forward momentum as he concentrated on not swaying too far over balance. The motion caused the pain in his head to intensify to an almost unbearable level - but he continued on regardless, determined to try and escape the dark void that he seemed to be imprisoned within.

It soon became apparent after a few minutes of his listless crusade, that no matter how many paces he took in the direction of the dim light, he was gaining no ground to his advantage. The fuzzy images filling the faintly lit horizon before him, remained just as far out of reach as when he had begun.

With a sudden frustration building up within him, Vincent pushed forward into an unsteady run. Biting down on his bottom lip in an attempt to ignore the influx of increased pain that burst within his skull, he pushed his body forward with all of his diminished strength. But his effort was short lived, and his legs soon gave out beneath him.

He crashed down onto his knees, hands flying out ahead of his body in a vain attempt to stop his face meeting the ground at speed.

Defeated, he raised his head upwards and let out a tormented cry.

"Anybody? Can anybody hear me?"

The darkness around Vincent appeared to close in once more, engulfing him whole, and erasing out the faint scene of silhouettes that had been moving about in far distance. It was as if the void was tormenting him, laughing at his pitiful attempt to run towards freedom from its vice-like grip.

The New Orleans witch rolled over onto his side with a faint moan, curling his legs tight up into his chest and wrapping his arms protectively around his frame.

As the blackness around him once again became complete, Vincent had one last thought quickly flit through his mind, before the pain in his head became too intense, causing him to lose consciousness.

 _It had gone wrong. It had gone badly wrong._


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2.**

 ** _"If you love someone, let them go. If they love you back, they will return"_**

"Freya, I'm not saying that you shouldn't be doing everything that you can to ensure your families safety!"

Keelin was stood facing her witch lover - who currently had her back turned to the wolf - with an expression of exasperation displayed across her face. They were in the oldest Mikaelson's bedroom within the family compound, both stood near to Freya's bed whilst the witch was changing her outfit.

The sun was shining through the room's windows in broken rays, pushing past the wooden slats that guarded the glass framed openings. The natural light gave the room a warm appearance, despite the temperature inside feeling like it had plummeted several degrees since the Mikaelson witch had entered and tainted Keelin's mood with a distant attitude towards her.

"I'm just concerned about you, that's all."

Freya responded to her girlfriend without turning to meet her eyes, her voice hurried and curt.

"I'm fine, honestly. I don't need any more rest than I already get."

"Honey, you haven't slept more than 4 hours in over 3 days. That's not enough", Keelin responded.

She reached out to touch the back of the witch's arm, in an attempt to get her to stop what she was doing and take a breath. Since the Hollow had disappeared two weeks ago, Freya's obsession over the need to discover what had gone wrong with Vincent's spell had only increased in intensity each day, and consequently the two of them had not really spent much time together at all. At most it had been a fleeting kiss hello or goodbye, here and there, as Keelin finished a long shift at the hospital and crossed paths with Freya heading to lock herself away in the Bell-Tower once again.

She missed her girlfriend's company. And having only just convinced Freya that it was ok to open up to someone outside of her immediate family – that it was ok to care about her – she was scared that she was slowly starting to lose her again, to the witches belief that emotional solitude was the only option available to her.

Feeling Keelin's hand close around her arm, Freya sighed heavily and slowly turned to face the wolf. Her eyes betrayed the deep weariness that had begun routing itself in her body over the past few days, and she looked to be in need of several long, deep sleeps.

"I spent some time relaxing with Hayley, yesterday. We had lunch together."

"I know", Keelin replied gently, trying to hold the witch's gaze. "She left me a voicemail message last night, whilst I was still at the clinic. She's worried about you too Freya – she said that you could hardly keep your eyes open whilst you two were at Rousseau's."

Freya's glare hardened, as she reacted to the news that her own family was now keeping tabs on her, and informing Keelin of her every move.

"For Heaven's sakes, I'm not a child!" the witch blurted out, an exasperated edge causing her voice to raise a level.

Keelin instinctively recoiled back a step, her hand falling away from Freya's arm. The sudden tone of anger in Freya's voice left her weary of deepening the current rift building between them, simply by being too close in proximity to the witch. As she looked at her girlfriend cautiously, Keelin witnessed the emotions rapidly changed on Freya's face - from anger, through to brief shock, and then settling on a look of resigned remorse – all in the course of a couple of seconds.

"Keelin, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you", the witch spoke quietly as her eyes fell to Keelin's feet. "I'm just frustrated. I shouldn't take it out on you".

There was a brief pause in silence, as she gave her girlfriend the time to continue her train of thought. Freya looked up and met her eyes, and the wolf could see that there were tears beginning to form in them, shimmering slightly in the daylight streaming through the room. Yet despite the urge she had to move to Freya's side and engulf her in a re-assuring embrace, Keelin held back, sensing that the witch needed to work through this moment at her own pace. If she had learnt anything about her girlfriend over the past month of dating, it was that Freya couldn't be rushed into accepting her own emotions. She had to be patient with her.

And most of the time, that patience paid off.

Taking a small step closer to the wolf, Freya once again lowered her gaze to the bedroom's floor, and dropped her voice to almost a whisper.

"I don't deserve you Keelin. You would be better off without me in your life"

Ok, Keelin thought, that's enough. Patience or not, we're not going down this road again.

"Freya, don't!"

Keelin's voice was both resolute and commanding at the same time. It caused Freya to look up quickly from the ground, and meet her gaze with wet, surprised eyes.

"I will not have you do this to yourself. I get that your emotions will be running high right now due to how tired you are. And knowing you, those emotions are probably freaking you out!"

Keelin quickly raised a hand to silence Freya, when she saw that the witch was about to try and interrupt her.

"But let's get one thing straight, I am not going anywhere ok! You are my girl, and I am extremely happy about that fact. I care about you so much, and it tears me up to see you push yourself to the limit like this. Yes, you are the big sister in your family, and I know that you think that means you have to take on the responsibility of everyone's safety all on your own. But you don't!"

The last three words came out stronger than Keelin had anticipated, and she saw Freya visibly wince at their dominance. But it was too late - she was on a roll now, and she was going to damn well say everything that was on her mind. She had to.

"Everyone around you admires you Freya. Hayley, Elijah, Klaus, Hope – they all look up to you in esteem, as they know how dedicated you are to your family. But they worry about you too, because you insist on taking the weight of protecting their lives upon your own shoulders, and then downright refuse help when its offered to you. They can see what turmoil you have been putting yourself through the past few weeks, and they're rightly concerned. Because they all love you so much. I love you so much!"

It had slipped out before she had chance to realise what she was saying. The shock of it made her stumble in her train of thought, and she fell silent once more - eyes expectantly on the witch. Panic briefly gripped her in its clasp. They hadn't openly declared their love for each other as of yet, and Keelin was instantly afraid that she might have revealed her hand too soon.

She had known that she was in love with the witch from the moment that Freya had voiced her concern that Keelin would leave her, back when she thought she needed to transition into a vampire to help save Hope. That was the instant that Keelin had realised she would go anywhere to be with the witch, do anything to keep her safe, and be anything that her lover needed her to be. That had been the point of no return for her wolfen heart.

Of course, she had been attracted to Freya from the start, even when their relationship had been one purely based on animosity. The witch had an intoxicating, ancient like beauty to her, and it had bowled Keelin over the minute she had seen her wake up in a coffin, thanks to an adrenaline injection administered by Hayley. But of course, there had been no love back then. A lot of resentment maybe, but certainly no love.

It had slowly developed though, in time. And now, as she stood watching for Freya's reaction to her stumbled declaration, she hoped to god that the witch wouldn't run. She hoped that she would….

Freya moved quicker than Keelin's vision had time to properly register, engulfing her girlfriend in her arms and pulling her body close so that it was pressing up tight against her own. Instantly her lips were on Keelin's, her tongue feverishly probing to be let inside of the wolfs mouth, her hot breath tickling along the top of her lover's plump lips.

Keelin's initial shock wore off rapidly, and she surrendered to Freya's advance with a small, quiet moan - letting the witch's mouth completely envelope her. Freya's kisses were full of desire and need, and Keelin had just enough time to marvel at the intense passion that the witch was capable of, before she felt herself being lifted off the ground, her legs pulled up and wrapped around her lover's waist. Without breaking their kiss, Freya turned and slowly lowered Keelin down onto the bed.

The witch pressed herself down on top of Keelin as their kissing deepened and became more urgent. A rush of vitality ran through Keelin's whole body as she became more aroused by the heat building between them. She felt her inner wolf nature rising from deep within – the normally subdued sphere of pure emotion forcing its way through the barrier put in place by the enchanted Kyanite ring on her finger.

The first time they had made love, this sensation had panicked her briefly and she had momentarily been scared that she would lose control completely and morph into her wolf form right there on the bed, under Freya's fragile human body. But the feeling had stopped just short of metamorphosis occurring, and instead had simply intensified all of her senses, making the experience even more erotic than Keelin had ever previously felt.

And again now, as Freya began to quickly undo Keelin's shirt with a look of deep lust in her eyes, the wolf felt her inner animal engulf her. Instantly her senses came alive with such a ferocious intensity that she couldn't help but cry out softly as a result. Freya looked up from unbuttoning Keelin's shirt in response to the sound, just in time to see her lover's eyes change from their normal deep chestnut brown to an untamed animal, amber colour. It lasted only seconds, before Keelin re-gained focus on the witch, and her eyes softened back into their usual human appearance once again.

Unable to contain her sexual hunger any longer, Freya ripped off the last few buttons of Keelin's top in an attempt to pull it quickly away from her body. The wolf's jeans quickly followed suit, leaving her lying beneath her lover in just a black laced underwear set, that she had bought a couple of days ago in anticipation of this kind of morning. It appeared to have the desired effect on Freya, who began planting urgent kisses all the way up her torso and up to her neck. As the witch's mouth worked its over to Keelin's left ear, nipping lightly at her earlobe, she let out another moan of anticipation whilst internally gripping onto her human form as tightly as she could.

"Freya….I love….."

Keelin's words were cut off by the witch covering her lips with her own, as she simultaneously slipped her hand under her girlfriend's lingerie and into her wet parting.

All coherent thoughts left the wolf's mind, as she slid into an emotional whirlwind of intense pleasure and desire.

* * *

2.

"Brother! How nice of you to return to your family!"

Klaus's voice boomed throughout the compound, reverberating off the ancient walls and not leaving a room untouched in its quest to make its presence known.

In one of those shadowed rooms, Freya stirred from her deep slumber, slowly pulling back into the waking world after being disturbed by her brother's baritone exclamation. She was momentarily confused and panicked, sleep struggling to let go of its grip on her – where was she, and why was it so dark?

Gradually she became aware of the soft sound of steady breathing coming from behind her, a faint stirring of air caressing the back of her neck in an even rhythm. She felt the warmth of another's arms wrapped around her torso, lightly placed and relaxed in their grip. It was then that her memories began to return to her. She was at home in her own bed, and the sleeping beauty snuggled up behind her was Keelin – clearly still out for the count. The realisation that she was in her wolf's arms caused Freya to instantly relax, and she gently settled back into Keelin's sleepy embrace.

She closed her eyes again, and a smile grew on her lips as she remembered why they had both fallen asleep so easily, and for so long.

Their love making had been ferocious!

Both of them had been reluctant to stop, or to break the tight rhythmic embrace they had formed for most of the morning. Her need to pleasure the wolf had taken over her completely, and nothing else had mattered. Nothing else had ever mattered as much as that moment. She was Keelin's. And Keelin was hers. Every taste, every touch, every kiss, and every scream fuelled orgasm. In those heated moments, they had united together and formed a new, more powerful version of "them".

 _And by god, it had felt good!_

Just as Freya was about to drift off once more back into the peaceful abyss, it occurred to her what had woken her from the exhaustion induced slumber in the first place. Klaus had declared one of her other brothers had come home.

Both Elijah and Kol had departed New Orleans soon after the family's failed attempt at shattering the Hollow's being. Kol had been eager to return to his own beloved, Davina. Since her resurrection, the youngest Mikaelson brother had been completely devoted to proving his worth to the New Orleans witch. He had boldly claimed that he would follow her to the ends of the earth and back, so long as she was happy and safe. And so far, he had been making good on his declaration of love.

As such, Freya doubted it would be Kol who had returned so soon after his previous departure.

Which left Elijah.

Her pragmatic and well attired oldest brother, had been deeply troubled when he had left their family compound only a few weeks ago. After his intimate brush with death, and subsequent time spent in a violent purgatory within Freya's fractured pendant, the well-groomed vampire had been deeply tortured by his memories. Made worse by the fact that he had caused his own love, Hayley, a great deal of pain and torment when she had tried to reach out to him within the pendant.

The seemingly irrevocable damage that he had subsequently caused to his and Hayley's delicate relationship, had been more guilt than he could bear. Seeing the Hybrid shy away from his touch and visibly keep her distance whenever he was in the same room as her, had been more torture on his soul than any limbo Hades could possibly have imparted upon him.

Freya had come downstairs the morning after the Hollow's disappearance, to find a folded note written in her brothers finest calligraphic penmanship. It had been short, and to the point:

My Dearest Family.

I need time to gather myself.

Always and Forever – Elijah.

And thus, he was gone.

Hayley had been particularly quiet in the immediate days following of Elijah's departure, even leaving Klaus to play the greater influence in Hope's daily routine, whilst she had spent time in solitude with her thoughts. Freya had caught the hybrid seemingly lost deep in her own contemplations a number of times – once or twice on the Compounds old iron balcony looking over the streets of the Quarter, and then at other times sat curled up on one of many large armchairs that adorned their home. The first couple of times she had ventured to ask her nieces mother if everything was ok. But after being absentmindedly dismissed by the hybrid on more than one of those occasions, she had left her alone with her thoughts.

It had taken a few days, but Hayley had seemingly managed to snap herself out of the self-induced seclusion, and once again fallen into the loving mother and caring family member role she perpetrated so well.

None of the remaining family had really known an exact location as to where Elijah had fled, but Klaus had heard it from an apparently reliable source one evening, that their brother had been seen drinking in a bar residing in Charlotte. It had taken a lot of persuasion from Freya that particular evening to prevent Klaus from immediately departing for the North Carolina city to demand answers from Elijah for his abandonment – ever the hot-headed being that Klaus was. But she had finally been able to make him agree to a tenuous compromise. He would leave their brother be to collect his thoughts, and instead employ some of his contacts over in Charlotte to keep their eye on Elijah's movements. This could probably be considered manipulative and cunning by most normal families standards.

However, Freya mused in her memories, her family was certainly anything but normal – and as far as Klaus was concerned, that particular compromise could be considered a small victory for calm reason and ordinariness.

 _Now Elijah was home?_

She sighed lightly, with her eyes still closed in pretence of sleep. This was probably something that she could not just simply ignore and fall back asleep on. She supposed that she had better go and make sure that Klaus remained level headed in his reunion with their returning brother. Though the idea of ignoring that any of it was happening, and instead trying to gently wake Keelin with a few well-placed kisses for another round of their love making – certainly crossed her mind.

Turning delicately to face the wolf, she gently brushed a strand of wayward hair off her lover's face, and placed a soft kiss on her lips, just light enough so as not to wake her. Their continued exploration of each other's bodies would unfortunately have to wait a little longer.

* * *

3.

"So brother, please do share with the rest of your family, the reason you saw fit to abandon us in our hour of need?"

As Freya descended the grand staircase into the Compounds central courtyard, she could see that Klaus was stood feverishly watching Elijah, as their brother set down his things and placed his de-robed suit jacket over his arm. As she had expected, Klaus was engaging as little restraint on his ever-blazing emotions, as a lion would engage on not eating it's captured prey. He was nothing if not predictable.

"Come now Klaus", she called from midway in her descent down the stone steps, "let us at least give our brother a chance to get through the door!"

Flicking his eyes briefly over to Freya, Klaus started to walk over to where Elijah stood, his usual swagger in full effect for the occasion.

"Oh fear not sister, I will extend him a far greater courtesy than he bothered to do us. Please brother, take your time – sit down, have a refreshment! Don't mind us, your siblings who have been worried sick as to where you have been over the past few weeks. Do rest!".

"Klaus!", Freya admonished as she reached her brothers side, "I am sure Elijah is eager to tell us about his experiences, all in his own time." She ended her sentence with a well-placed hand on the hybrids arm, in an attempt to bring reason to his ire.

Looking down at his sister's hand upon his arm, Klaus sighed briefly, and then returned his gaze back to the newly returned member of their family. His tone of voice softened, ever so slightly, as he re-addressed his sibling.

"Yes, do tell us Elijah, what of your travels? Did you get any good scenery photos for the family album?"

Freya inwardly rolled her eyes at the undertone of sarcasm in Klaus's address to their brother. He just couldn't help himself at times.

"Brother, Sister, it is good to see you both." Elijah addressed them with his back still turned, seemingly needing a moment to compose himself.

Freya noticed a small brittle edge to her brother's voice, and a sudden wave of concern rushed through her.

"Elijah what is it, are you ok?"

As she and Klaus watched on, they could see Elijah's shoulders slump forward faintly, as he contemplated his answer. To any other onlooker, this delicate change in posture would have no doubt gone unnoticed. But to the two Mikaelson siblings currently observing their reunited brother, it was an obvious and uncharacteristic alteration in his usual robust stance. Klaus shot a quick questioning glance at his sister, before swiftly returning his glare onto Elijah's back.

After another few seconds of deafening silence, Elijah slowly turned his body to face them both, his eyes finding and then settling on Freya's. A small smile formed across his otherwise solemn face.

"I am sorry my dear sister, I do not mean to concern you. I am simply weary after a long day's travel."

"Yes, I suppose it is quite a trek to New Orleans from Charlotte in just one day!", Klaus retorted quickly.

Without looking away from Freya's concerned face, Elijah answered his brother, returning the curt manner in which he had been spoken to.

"Ah yes, don't think I didn't know about your little spy network, Niklaus!".

He paused briefly, apparently to let the revelation hit home with his younger brother. Turning to face the hybrid, Elijah made to straighten Klaus's shirt collar with one of his ever-immaculate hands.

"Next time, you might want to think of hiring men whose feet aren't as closely related to those of clumsy elephants - I could always hear their approach from a good mile away!"

Klaus quickly pulled away from his brothers fussing, and gestured widely around the room with his arms.

"Yes, well, be that as it may brother. You have still not told us why you left your family behind? And more importantly, why you are now suddenly back, returned to us?"

Sighing loudly, Elijah moved elegantly away from his siblings and made his way over to their well-stocked drinks cabinet, which lived just under the grand stairwell of the courtyard. He reached for one of the many crystal decanters currently half full with the families finest single malt whiskeys, and pulled the glistening lid off its top in preparation to pour himself a drink.

Elijah spoke to them as he continued to concentrate on preparing the beverage.

"I wish I could say that it is with good news that I return. However, I fear that I am the bearer of bad tidings."

Freya felt a shiver of cold run through her body, as she watched her brother take his first sip from the whiskey glass in his hand. She had been that eager to descend downstairs and stop Klaus from characteristically snapping Elijah's neck, that she had only thrown on a thin cotton kami-top and matching shorts, before leaving her bedroom and Keelin behind. A decision she was now rapidly regretting. Oh how she wished she was still back in her bed with Keelin, with her back sleepily pushed up against the wolf's warm, naked body.

 _Damn life, always getting in the way._

"Go on brother, do elaborate", Klaus encouraged, his previous sarcastic tone now a distant memory.

Elijah lowered his glass, and turned to look them both in the eyes.

"It appears our friendly neighbourhood spirit, the Hollow, has not quite finished with her torment of this family after-all!"

Freya's heart sank at the mention of The Hollows name. Suddenly she not only wished she was back upstairs in Keelin's arms, but achingly longed for their re-assuring presence around her right there, as she stood watching all the blood drain from Klaus's angering face.


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3.**

 ** _"A dream doesn't come true through magic. It takes hard work, and determination"_**

Hope was dreaming.

She knew this because she was wandering through the woods near her family's old plantation house, on the far outskirts of the big city that her daddy called New Orleans. In the real world, they had all left this place she had called home a couple of months ago now, in favour of returning to the Quarter and her families other residence there.

The Compound in the nosey town was "ok", she guessed. It was just as big as her first home here in the woodlands, and it had lots of secrete passages that she loved to play in – when her mummy and daddy weren't looking of course. They were funny about her going near them. And the attic. Her mummy had specifically told her that she wasn't allowed to play in the attic on her own, because it contained a lot of dangerous books and objects that only her Aunty Freya was allowed to touch. She hadn't understood that – how could a book be dangerous? It was just a bunch of paper stuck together with words on it. And she knew that they contained spells, like the sort that her Aunty often cast to protect their family. But they were only dangerous if they were chanted out loud surely?

 _Grown-ups could be so weird sometimes._

She also loved all the shops and café's that surrounded her new home. Sometimes, when her mummy wasn't looking, her daddy would take her out to visit the some of those colourful shops, and let her pick out things that she liked - to keep! But again somethings about this had confused her a little. Like how she had watched other people in the shop hand over money for the items they had wanted to keep. But not her daddy. He had simply walked up to the nice Mr Shop Keeper and told him that he was allowed to take whatever he wanted from the shop, and that the Mr Shop Keeper wouldn't kick up a fuss, or remember it afterwards. And he hadn't! He had simply waved them goodbye as they left, and even given Hope a lollypop as she walked past him at the front door. She liked the Mr Shop Keeper, he seemed nice.

But all that was back in her new home, in the big nosey city.

Here, in the woodlands surrounding her old home, it was peaceful. There was no constant irritating racket surrounding her, other than that of the birds and animals which lived in amongst the trees and bushes. And she liked their noise. It was welcoming – warming. She had felt like she had a connection with the wildlife that had surrounded her old house. The animals that she had met on her daily walks through the woods with her mummy – and later on her Grandma – had all wanted to be her friend. She had felt it, the easiness with which they had accepted her amongst them, like she was one of their own wandering amid their ranks. And they had played with her too. Mostly chase of course, it was their favourite game – Hope's too! And sometimes they had even let her catch them. Not that she ever really caught them, not like that. She simply caught up with them and lightly tapped their hind leg, or paw, or wing, or fluffy tail, like the rabbits that she loved so much had on their behinds.

 _Rabbits were the best!_

Yes, she sure missed her old home, with all its animals and peaceful quiet.

But she at least got to visit it in her dreams at night. Like this one, right now. This was turning out to be a particularly fun one. Her daddy was with her, and they were walking to their favourite clearing amongst the trees, where Hope was going to use her newly "kept" paints to make a new picture for him. That was one of the things that she loved the most about her daddy. He enjoyed to paint, just like her. And he loved to watch her paint for him – he said it was his most favourite thing in the whole world. Which must be true, as daddies weren't allowed to lie!

"So what is my beautiful darling going to paint for me today?"

She looked up at him as they walked along through the leafy undergrowth of the woodland. He was smiling down at her, his whole face lit up by the warmth of the grin, and his eyes sparkling in the intermittent sunlight pushing its way through the thick tree top canopy. Their shoes were making funny crackling noises, as they trampled on the crunchy leaves and twigs lining the ground, and she briefly wondered if her daddy would join in if she began jumping up and down to make the snapping noises louder. Probably not. She loved him very much, but he definitely had a more serious side to him than her mummy did. Her mummy DEFINITELY would have joined in!

"I was thinking maybe a Unicorn", Hope eventually replied to him, whilst she reluctantly pushed the thought of jumping in the leaves away.

 _Another time maybe._

"A Unicorn hey? Well, I have it on good authority that your Uncle Elijah once rode into a well-guarded Castle on the back of a Unicorn, all to save a fair maiden from a fate worse than death".

She looked up at her him in wonder – _You could ride Unicorns? And Uncle Elijah had once done so?_

"Is that true Daddy? Did he save the maiden?" Her voice was full of the innocent marvel reserved just for small children who still believed in fairytales, and Santa Claus, and the loaded promise of Happily Ever After always coming true.

Of course her own life was indeed something of a fairytale itself. She lived in a world where Vampires, and Werewolves, and Witches, and magical beings of all flavours and varieties co-existed in their quest for survival. She herself was a powerful witch – her mummy had told her so! She had often felt a strange sensation mounting inside of her, as she was growing up. It was like when she had eaten a whole hand full of candy all at once - something her mummy had only ever let her do once or twice – and then had got that immediate rush of energy build up in her tummy, bursting with eagerness to explode throughout her whole body. That was what the strange "magic" sensation felt like - only without eating any yummy candy first.

She was a little ashamed to admit that it had scared her when it had first started happening, as the feeling had seemed like it was going to eat her up completely. The sheer force and magnitude of it had been overwhelming and she had cried out for her Mummy, who had come running to her side within seconds. The big ball of energy felt like it had forced its way down into her fingertips, and then suddenly escaped, causing all the windows in her old bedroom to shatter instantly – and a few flower vases too.

It was after that incident that her mummy had given her the pretty new gold bracelet that she now wore daily, and told her that she must always keep it on her wrist, to prevent any more accidents from happening.

And for the most part, she did.

But Hope knew that grown-ups could sometimes be over protective, even her mummy who she loved very much. It was just how they were, they couldn't help it. She often wondered if there was a certain age that you reached, when you were very old – 20 or 21 maybe – when you suddenly became more serious, and over protective of those around you. She hoped that she would never get THAT old. _Who wanted to have to be serious and not jump in leaves!_

So she had spent a couple of afternoons a month without the bracelet on - usually when her mummy or grandma had been out getting supplies - practicing how to control the magic energy that built up within her. It was hard at first, and she had broken a lot the toys in her room trying to master its control. Thankfully her mummy had believed her when she had said that the bracelet sometimes came off her wrist at night when she was moving in her sleep, and that she must have broken the toys by accident. She sure didn't like lying, especially to her mummy. But sometimes, grownups needed to be protected from the truth. This was something she had learnt at an early age.

The practice had paid off. She could now ( _almost_ ) always control her magic. She could change its flavour too, as she liked to think of it. Depending on what she was trying to make the magic do, it created a slightly different taste in her mouth as a result. Making things blow up – that was liquorice. She hated Liquorice. Making things grow, like the grass or flowers which lived in the woodlands – that was like the taste of freshly squeezed orange juice.

And her most favourite of all, was the flavour of magic she used when helping to heal injured animals – that was the taste of blue bubblegum, the sort that you sometimes got free with stickers in the colourful packets that her mummy often brought home for her. That was the magic she liked to use the most.

But of course she knew her mummy and daddy still worried about her using her power, so she kept the bracelet on whenever she was in other peoples company. She didn't want to be thought of as naughty, after all!

"Of course it's true my love – although the thing that your Uncle Elijah saved turned out to be more of a nasty Troll with warts all over its face, than a fair maiden!"

Hope giggled – her daddy was definitely joking with her. She loved it when he made her laugh.

They reached the clearing in the woods suddenly, bursting out into the bright sunshine filling the open space. Hope laughed out loud with joy, and began to run to the middle of the tree-lined meadow, where a small stone table resided. Her family had set up the table back when she had lived here, so that it could be somewhere that she could draw and paint with ease when outside.

"Hope, Stop!"

Her daddy's abrupt, loud shout startled her, almost causing her to trip over her own feet as she came to an immediate halt mid-run. She was suddenly very scared. The air around her was starting to grow thick, exerting an oppressive sensation of pressure which was tightening all around her body and over her skin.

Her dream was changing.

The sunlight which has been streaming happily into the woods meadow, seemed to dissolve right in front of her – only to be replaced with twilight tones of violet and ebony, that created deep shadows stretching towards her from the nearby trees. She could feel the temperature in the air dropping rapidly, so quick that all the little hairs that lined her arms quickly stood up on end, and she experienced a small shiver run down her body.

"Hope, run to me now!"

Her daddy was calling out urgently to her again, only his voice seemed further away this time, like he was shouting to her from a great distance away. She quickly turned around on the spot, trying to see where he was. But there was nothing there, other than the silhouettes of trees staring back at her.

Except she wasn't alone, she could sense that much. Someone, or something else was here in the darkened meadow with her . The dream had taken on an all too sinister quality to it suddenly, and she was scared. Very scared!

A luminescence blue light began to take hold of the air behind her, casting out a shadow of her body to loom in front of where she stood. Hope knew instantly who it was that had suddenly materialised in her dream - or more accurately what it was.

The Hollow.

Fear continued to tighten its grip, as the blue glow around her began to intensify. It was edging closer to her. She needed to turn around, but she couldn't. Her body was frozen, and she suddenly felt like she no longer had control over her limbs, instead merely being an observer hitching a ride within the frame encasing her. Oh god it was one of those dreams, where she lost all power over her own movements, doomed to simply stare in helpless dismay at everything that unfolded in front of her.

 _No! Not now, not this dream!_

She wished her mummy was with her – she would know what to do. She would tell the nasty Hollow to "Leave my daughter alone!", like Hope had heard her shout once before, when she had been a prisoner within her own body. A hostage to the Hollow's spirit, Hope had felt so weak and been in so much pain. Oh God, she remembered the pain. It had completely coated her whole being, suffocating her and making her wish the whole world would just disappear and leave her alone to slip into peace.

 _No, please no, not that again. Mummy help me!_

But she knew that she was alone now, with no family there to help her. She had to face the threat herself. She had to be a big girl. She had to….

Magic. She wasn't alone. She had her magic!

Hope quickly undid the gold bracelet that hung around her right wrist, letting it drop to the ground beside her feet. She reached for the bursting well of power that lived deep within her core, feeling its eagerness to be set free and unleashed on the world. Focusing her thoughts onto one single taste - the one she hated the most, but knew she also needed the most right now – Hope readied herself, trying to push the numbing fear to the side.

Just as she began sense the tang of liquorice in her mouth, she felt a searing pain on the back of her left shoulder, the sensation shocking her and causing a high pitched cry of pain to escape her lips. It was here, reaching for her with its icy clutch. _No, no, no, please mummy, help me be strong._

Hope spun around, bringing her right arm up to extend out in front of her at the same time. She mentally grasped onto the raw power simmering within her, and thrust it with all her might down the length of her outstretched arm. A guttural, cry of raw emotion escaped her lips as she felt the energy from within burst out of her hand and shoot towards the large sphere of blue light ahead of her.

"LEAVE ME….

* * *

 **2.**

…ALONE!"

She awoke with a start, crying out in pain as the effects of the magical clout took effect on the body that she currently resided within. Bolting upright from the waist, she gasped wildly, trying to pull air into lungs that felt as though they had a raging fire ravaging its way through them.

What had just happened?

Confusion threatened to engulf her, as she mentally blocked out the physical agony that was trying to command her full attention, diverting it elsewhere within the depths of her host's psyche. Let this body's true owner deal with the distress and discomfort brought on by the magical blow. She had other, more pressing concerns.

Had she been dreaming?

It was a concept long since lost to her – the ability to dream. Existing as she had for many centuries, as a spirit drifting through the planes far beyond the reach of the physical realm - both sleep, and the dreams it courted had been well outside of her reach. But now, as her essence once again inhabited a human body - was she now able to sleep? To Dream?

She forced the host body's legs to stretch out, and then to curl under themselves with a thrusting power, bringing her into an upright position. Looking slowly around the dim candle-lit room, she saw that she was still in the same church annex where she had spent most of the past week. She tried to recall the events which had unfolded leading up to her unexpected slumber. She was sure she had been with her followers, detailing the latest ingredients that she needed them to source and bring back to her.

Ever since Vincent had unexpectedly managed to expel her from the body of the youngest Mikaelson witch, she had been struggling to cope with a greatly diminished source of power, and was desperately seeking a spell powerful enough to quickly restore her former strength. The incantation he and that older Mikaelson witch had cast on that pitiful night, had not only succeeded in painfully retching her out of Hope's body, but had also greatly weakened her in the process. She had been forced to use up every last bit of her core magic to prevent them from completing their goal, and splitting her essence into the 4 separate bodies of the Original vampires. She had not foreseen their ploy, nor had she been prepared, and had only realised at the last crucial moment what was intended by the New Orleans witch.

And now this.

If it had been a dream, it had not been one of her own. That much she was sure of.

The woodland that she had suddenly materialised in, was not one she recalled ever having visited, in this life or the next. And more worryingly, she had not had complete and utter control over its course of development. The dream had been controlling her, as though it had called her to it and forced her to partake as its story unfolded.

That young Mikaelson girl had been there - Hope. The juvenile, yet incredibly powerful witch had been frolicking with her father in a woodland meadow when the dream had forced the spirit to participate. She had felt the girls fear too when the young witch had realised that her former captor was suddenly there with her, in the dream. Beautiful fear. The young always exuded the finest unsurpassed type of fear. It made them easier to manipulate, and turned them into the best source of pure untapped energy to feed upon.

She remembered that it was at that point she had thought that she might be able to turn the strange event to her advantage. If she could destroy the young witch's mind there, in the dream, then she could possess the girls body once more, without the need for powerful magic to play a part. It was the perfect opportunity to capitalise upon whilst her waking self was still too weak and in need of a power boost.

But she had not been the one in control. Hope had.

The young witch had turned on her, and that was when it had happened. She had seen the raw power rapidly blossom in the girl's body, giving her an appearance much older than her young years. And it had been unleashed in all its untamed glory, onto her, as the young girl had screamed out in – what? Fear? Maybe, but there had been something else there too. Another emotion that had been fighting for dominance in that moment of magical exertion.

Anger. Yes, the young witch had been angry. At her!

The subsequent exquisite pain had instantly woken the body in which she currently inhabited. And now, as she looked down at its lithe physique, she could see that the pain experienced hadn't just been on a mental level. Burns covered its chest, and the clothing which was adorning its torso, was charred and ripped.

The young witch had actually caused her physical harm. And judging by the size and intensity of the burns she was now looking down at –it was truly a lot of harm too.

Was the Mikaelson witch now capable of wounding her? Had the spell that had severed her connection to the girl somehow now left her more vulnerable to the magic the girl possessed? If the witch's power had been strong enough to injure this host body in the physical plane, whilst the Spirit had been piggybacking within a dream - what could that same magic now do to her in the waking world? Especially whilst she was in this weakened state!

Fear gripped the Spirit, for only the second time in its existence.

"Jonathan!" She called out using the voice of the body she hosted. It was a particular sound of which she hated - loathed even. But it was a necessary tool to be used if she was to communicate with her followers whilst in this current repugnant form.

A small, weasel framed man shuffled into the main Church chamber, from one of the several rooms which lead off from the annex. He truly was a pitiful physical example of the human race, she thought to herself. Hunched slightly, with a wobble to his walk that probably came from an injury sustained in his youth, he was everything that she was not. There was no power lying waiting within him, to be tapped into when the need arose. He had no supernatural abilities and was not immortal, nor a wolf. He lacked any hint of charisma or strength of character, and would probably never know the touch of another in any form of intimacy for the course of his whole pitiful life.

But he was capable of great fear - and more importantly, he was loyal. Very loyal! And that made him perfect for her needs.

He stopped a good few metres in front of her host's body, and quickly cowed his head in a seemingly respectful greeting. The Spirit knew however that it was more fear that commanded his sub-ordinance, than reverence.

Exactly how it should be.

"I want the Mikaelson family watched, day and night."

"Yes." His voice was low and shaky, sounding like that of a broken man.

"I want to know everyone they interact with - everyone who has a close connection to them."

She needed a way of getting to the youngest Mikaelson witch, of killing her. And it needed to be a scheme that she wouldn't have to expend much power to execute. After all, she required time to regain her former strength, and she had great plans for this deplorable city. One's that involved the extinction of the Original family for good. If she killed their youngest member, she knew that their tenuous bond would begin to break apart. During her time spent within the small girl's body, she had come to realise that the small witch was the glue currently holding their clan together.

Kill the girl - kill their strength gained from unity.

"Every family has a weak link. Find theirs!"

"Yes."

The weasel man scurried away, off to inform the Spirit's other followers of their new task no doubt. She was glad to be alone again. Her followers were an unfortunate necessity, to aid her in the tangible world when menial or physical tasks required seeing to. Those errands that were, quite honestly, beneath her. But she loathed every single one of the pathetic beings. As soon as her reign over this city was ensured, she would kill each and every one of them. Slowly.

She forced a smile to cross her host body's full lips. That last thought pleased her greatly.

* * *

 **3.**

The Emergency Room of St Theadora's clinic in the 9th Quarter, could never really be called a quite place. The steady traffic of people that passed in and out of its doors could sometimes be considered to be less than at other times. But it was always there, and always providing a cornucopia of injuries and illnesses that needed to be dealt with.

Here was the lesser known side to the great city of New Orleans. For every carnival that the Big Easy hosted, and for every night of bourbon fuelled partying that went down in the Quarter - there were twice as many casualties of the city's underground supernatural war being rushed through the big double doors of the Clinic's stoic building. Neck wounds prevailed the most, followed closely by blunt trauma haemorrhaging at various different points on patient's bodies. And they had to be one of the only trauma clinics in the whole of the US who regularly saw high volumes of patients being brought in with unexplained widespread haematomas of the brain. Had anyone from the press or local news outlets bothered to investigate the Hospital's case-type statistics, they would surely think that they had hit the "Breaking News" jackpot of their whole career.

But that was the thing about New Orleans. No one investigated. No one wanted to disturb the fragile equilibrium that the city lived its life by. Strange, unknown things happened every day in their hometown, and that is the way they preferred it to stay - strange and unknown. Because on some deep subconscious level, most of the people who resided there knew that if they did investigate, if they did stand up and take notice – then it may well be the last thing that they ever did.

So life in the Emergency Clinic went on. The doctors continued to patch up those patients that they could, and provided consolation to the families of those that they couldn't. And at the end of a long days shift, they went home to their own treasured loved ones and pretended that none of what they had witnessed during their long shift was anything but the ordinary and mundane.

Except Keelin. She of course knew better.

Every time the Malraux Wolf patched up another "unexplained" torn throat, or tended to the fourth seemingly random brain haemorrhage of the week, she couldn't help but wonder which supernatural faction had been responsible for the poor patient's woeful state on that particular occasion. Each time she saved a person's life whom had remarkably lost nearly all of their blood from just a small doublet of puncture wounds somewhere on their neck, she was gripped with the repulsion reserved just for those privileged few in the know about the City's large Vampire infestation.

Her greatest fear of all, was that one day the patient who was wheeled in on deaths door, lifeless and covered in their own spilled blood - would be the one person that she couldn't bear to live without. Freya.

Keelin shook her head, trying to dislodge the frightful and unpleasant scenario out of her mind. Focusing once more on the patient chart that she currently held in her hands, she began to concentrate on the Haematology blood results recently returned for one of the people in her care.

 _Dammit – liver failure. Definitely not the result she had been hoping for._

Rubbing her eyes wearily with one free hand, she turned to face Janine - one of the nurses who was on shift that evening and currently sat typing up notes at the central admin station. Setting the chart down on the chest high counter ledge as she leant her arms upon the wooden structure, Keelin cleared her throat lightly to get the girls attention.

"Janine, can I ask a huge favour please?"

She gave her colleague the best puppy-dog eyes that she could muster – something that she guessed she must have at least a slight advantage in, being part canine herself.

Keelin laughed inwardly - they certainly worked on her Girlfriend, when the need required.

The nurse looked up from the computer screen that had been holding her attention, and chuckled amicably when she saw the expression that Keelin was presenting to her. The wolf liked Janine. She was one of those people who you could always depend on to keep a level head in a crisis, and deliver the best care possible no matter how tired she may have been after already being on shift for 12 hours plus. Keelin sometimes wished that she had more time outside of work to socialise with her new colleagues. She had only started taking shifts at the Clinic just over a month ago, and in that short time her life had been so hectic and full of supernatural drama, that she had hardly had chance to grab more than a quick coffee in the hospital canteen with Janine and her other work friends – let alone actually see them outside of the hospital.

Such was the cost of becoming part of the extended Mikaelson family, she guessed. Not that she would change a thing. Her love for Freya was not something that she would exchange for anything or anyone, and the fact that the witch had a large family of supernatural beings that came with her – well that was something that Keelin could happily adjust to, to keep her lover by her side.

"Stop it! You know I can't say no to puppy eyes!" Janine laughed. "What can I do for you, Doctor?"

"The guy in bay 4, John Travau - his bloods are back and the LFT's are through the roof. Can you arrange for him to have CT of the Liver, and I'll sign off on the paperwork when it's sorted?"

Keelin knew that in a perfect world, she should be the one ringing the Imaging department to arrange her patient's diagnostics. She liked to make sure that the people in her care got the best service that she herself could provide them with, and hated having to delegate jobs off to other people. But after a hectic start to the nights shift, she was already behind on her cases for the evening, and Janine had often told her to start utilising the nurses help more, rather than trying to get through her caseload purely on her own merit.

Janine grabbed the patient's clip chart off the top of the desk, and immediately started typing his details into the computer.

"Not a problem Doctor, I'll get right on…."

The nurse was abruptly cut off by the sound of the ER's double doors slamming open, forcefully pushed ajar by the business end of a gurney trolley. Both Keelin and Janine snapped their heads around in the direction of the entranceway, and saw that it was one of the many ambulance teams assigned to the clinic, bringing in a new trauma patient for treatment.

And from the look of the bloodied mess that Keelin could see from her first glance, this was someone who was very close to finally meeting their maker.

Instinct kicked in, and her head immediately switched to "Trauma" mode. She strode quickly over to the oncoming gurney, addressing the one of the paramedics as she moved.

"What have we got, Tina?"

The woman she had spoken to locked eyes with her as she continued to push the gurney further into the department.

"Jane-Doe, multiple stab wounds to the chest and arms, with excessive blood loss resulting. Patient has been unresponsive and tachycardic. Intubated and bagged, with 1 bag of IV O-NEG administered so far."

Keelin looked down over the unconscious girl on the gurney, and her wolf nose instantly detected a very familiar smell mixed in with the normal copper-like aroma of gore. The Jane-Doe lying in a bloodied mess on the trolley, was a wolf.

Several thoughts instantly bombarded her mind at the same time. Who had attacked the wolf so viciously? What pack-line did she belong to? Why hadn't her accelerated healing kicked-in as of yet? Was this connected to her newly inherited family? Should she get word to Hayley, and warn her that someone was hurting wolves?

Trying to gain some composure after her initial shock, Keelin grabbed the patients EMT Chart off female paramedic, and directed the team to take the girl into Trauma room 2. Following the gurney into the brightly lit theatre, she began to prep herself for the job at hand.

Her initial questions would have to wait - she had a life to save.


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

" _ **Oh what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive"**_

 **1.**

"Spiritus mihi ut sciatur, Spiritus mihi ut sciatur, Spiritus mihi ut sciatur…..Dammit!"

A loud clattering sound filled the top of the Bell-Tower, as Freya threw a large heavy grimoire across the room. As the book landed on top of a group of flaming candles standing on the wooden floor, she was yanked out of her angry tantrum by the realisation that a fire was going to break out. Grabbing a nearby glass of water, she rushed over to the discarded volume and quickly poured the tumblers contents over the smouldering mess. A short hissing noise gave way to the smell of wet paper mixed with smoke.

 _Could this morning get any worse?_

Chastising herself inwardly for the frustrated outburst, Freya bent over to pick up the soggy remains of the Grimoire and was startled when her phone suddenly started to ring as it lay on the cluttered table in the middle of the room.

 _Urgh, what now?_

Dropping the books remains back onto the floor in defeat, she made her way over to the centre of the chamber and grabbed her phone. The lit-up display told her that it was her girlfriend, Keelin, on the other end of the line. A tiny smile crept onto her face – the wolf always seemed to know when Freya needed help calming down, even when they were miles apart.

"Hey you!"

She answered the phone trying to hide all the anger and weariness that was currently brimming inside of her. It had been a long night, once again devoted to trying to detect where the Hollow's spirit was currently residing, and once again failing to produce any viable results. Elijah had spent the first part of the evening describing the events which had occurred in the town of Charlotte, that had led to him returning to their family home. Klaus and she had listened intently as their brother told them of the strange sensation he had felt - of his every move being watched and tracked.

Klaus had of course immediately interjected, telling Elijah that it would simply have been the men he had hired to watch their brother during his time away from the Quarter. However Elijah had gone on to describe how he had finally become tired of the constant shadow on his tail, and meticulously slaughtered four of the strangers on his way back to his hotel room one evening. Before delivering the final blow to each of the hooded figures, he had tried to extract information out of them – who were they, and why they were following him? Three of the now deceased men had held their tongues until the very end, when Elijah had finally tired of their frustrating silence and ripped out the hearts from their chests. The fourth however had not been as mature in age, or self-discipline as the others. After a few of the unfortunate fellow's fingers and one of his arms had been broken, he had managed to get out a few words of betrayal before Elijah had ended him for good.

He was a follower of the Hollow, and convinced in the conviction that the Mikaelson family would soon all be cowering in the mighty wrath of the Spirit.

That was it - nothing more, nothing less. But it had been enough to shake their brother out of his self-imposed exiled state, and cause him to promptly return to New Orleans, to face whatever the Hollow was planning together with his family.

Their reactions to Elijah's tale had been at opposing ends of the scale. Klaus had instantly dismissed the gravity to which Elijah was placing on the bloody encounter. He believed that these so called followers of the Hollow would naturally be maddened at the Mikaelson family, for foiling their Deity's plan to take over Hope's body completely. He had told Elijah that he was simply getting paranoid in his old age – a joke the two brothers had often engaged in due to their on-going immortality – and that if the Hollow was still in New Orleans, their good sister Freya would have detected it by now.

Freya herself had not been so easily convinced that it was something which had been blown out of proportion. She believed that their brother's encounter with the now deceased spies, probably held grave implications for her family's safety. And so she had immediately gone to leave a brief note for Keelin - next to the sleeping wolf in her bed - explaining that she would be in the Bell-Tower continuing her research, and that they could catch up when Keelin finished her shift the next morning.

And now here she was, shattered and no closer to discovering whereabouts of the Hollow, or indeed the location of any of its followers. _Could they all be cloaked, together at the same time?_

"Hey. Freya, are you ok?" Keelin's voice was full of concern as she replied to her girlfriends greeting.

 _Great job I did there of hiding my frustrations - she always manages to see right through me!_

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just a little tired that's all, after a full night of research. How was work?"

There was a small pause on the other end of the phone, and Freya couldn't tell if the wolf was trying to decide whether to believe what she had just said, or if she was preparing herself for something that she herself was about to say to the witch.

"Keelin?"

"Can I see you this morning? Something happened at work last night, and I need to talk to you about it."

Keelin's voice sounded both tired and serious, which Freya realised was definitely out of character for her girlfriend. Yes she was often exhausted after an all-night graveyard shift at the clinic, but the wolf still always managed to greet her with a seemingly ever abundant happy vibe, regardless of any inner lethargy. It was one of the many things that had caused her to fall for Keelin in the first place – the wolf's ability to always see the bright side of any situation.

Panic erupted unexpectedly in the witch's belly.

"Are you ok? Did someone hurt you?" Freya responded quickly, unable to keep the sudden concern for her lover out of her voice. If someone had even laid a wrong hand on her girlfriend, she would make sure that they were incapable of even going to the toilet on their own for the foreseeable future. She would hunt them down and…

"I'm fine honey, don't worry. Nothing has happened to me. I just need to talk to you about one of the patients I treated last night."

Freya instantly relaxed a little, and could feel her insides slowly untie from the knot that they had quickly formed a few seconds ago. Rational thought returned, and with it, a little confusion over what Keelin had just implied.

"I didn't think you were allowed to discuss your cases outside of the Hospital? Patient confidentiality, and all of that jazz?"

"Usually I wouldn't, but I think I need to make an exception in this particular case. Can you meet me outside for a coffee, in say 20 minutes?"

The witch had a brief moment of hesitation – she really did need to get to the bottom of what was happening with the Hollow and its followers, and knew that no time could be wasted in that pursuit. Her family's safety always had to come first.

 _But then, wasn't Keelin now part of her family too?_

"Ok, I'll be there. Just make sure that the coffee is strong! "

Keelin laughed lightly on the other end of the line.

"Oh don't worry - I'll get double shots for us both. I think we are going to need it".

* * *

 **2.**

The spirit felt good to be walking outside in the Quarter's open air once again.

For the past 2 weeks she had been continuously holed up in an old, abandoned Church just on the outskirts of the great city's limits. She had fled straight there from the Mikaelson compound, on the night that she had narrowly escaped being embedded into the four immortal bodies of the Original clan - and had been metaphorically licking her wounds in hiding ever since.

The self-imposed prison hadn't been too bad, considering. The church had been found by her followers a few months earlier, whilst they were out sourcing for abandoned buildings where the Spirit could safely feed upon the energy and souls of children, without being discovered. So it had already been fitted out with a few basic needs – food to sustain the host body that she inhabited, candles to both illuminate the building at night, and to play their part in any magic that needed casting, and of course a few of the basic ingredients required by all witches to carry out the incantations and spells of their craft.

But it had been cold, and damp, and more importantly - far beneath the level of respect that a mighty and powerful being such as herself should be treated with. Whilst the lack of the petty comforts for human existence were of no concern to her, they did have a seemingly profound effect on the host body she inhabited, causing fatigue and strain on the flesh-frame's muscles over time. In turn, she also despised the fact that the dilapidated hideout was needed in the first place. She was The Hollow – a being to be both feared and revered – not something that should be cowering away in a forgotten and run-down, derelict church, whilst it tried to regain its strength.

 _Oh she would make them suffer for the inconvenience they had imposed upon her. They would be begging to be released from this life by the time she finished with them!_

Still, here she was, free from the annoyingly suffocating prison for now and finally back out in the fresh air of the Quarter's busy streets.

And she had a mission.

After just over a week of intense surveillance on the Mikaelson clan, a couple of her followers had reported back to her what they thought to be a potential weak link in the family's structure. A possible avenue of infiltration which was under less scrutiny by the paranoid Hybrid head of the family, and thus more likely to go undetected should she choose to use it to her advantage.

There were undeniably still risks involved, and it had taken her a while to construct a plan of action detailed enough so as to have a chance of helping her reach her current goal of killing the youngest Mikaelson witch, with as minimal power required as possible. It wasn't perfect, but it certainly had a chance of working. And right now in her weakened state, a chance would have to suffice, as she could not risk the possibility of Hope causing her further harm in either the waking, or dreaming world.

She had just one, small spell to perform to start the ball rolling. A relatively low-level incantation - which in her normal state would not have even registered as having an effect on her natural, inner reserve of power. But in the weakened form that she currently was, even a spell as minor such as this had required the consummation of several young innocents in preparation. She just hoped it had been enough.

Once the spell was cast, it would then all be down to simple timing, and one of her more virulent followers being in the right place at the right time. She allowed a small trickle of excitement flow through the host body. The day was young, and the sun was already shining high in the sky, illuminating the great city of New Orleans. The great city, that would soon be hers for the taking.

All she had to do now was wait – and of course use her host body's repulsive appearance to its full advantage.

* * *

 **3.**

"A wolf? And she had been stabbed?"

Keelin was sat across from her witch lover, outside of their favourite coffee-shop in the Quarter. Situated only a few buildings down from both the Bell-Tower where Freya spent the vast majority of her time, and Keelin's newly rented apartment - they had discovered it was a perfect meeting spot for when Keelin finished work and was on her way back home to crash into bed.

The coffee here certainly wasn't the cheapest in town – at an average of $8 a drink, it could easily put a large dent into a person's wallet should they need to purchase more than the one cup at a time. But it was strong, and it was convenient - and for Keelin and her ever busy girlfriend, that was what topped the list of their coffee-need concerns on most days.

"Yes, multiple times too. Had the paramedics been delayed in getting her to the clinic, even by just a few more minutes, I doubt she would have survived at all."

Freya's brows knotted together over her tired green eyes, as she digested the information that Keelin had shared with her over their double shot Lattés. Even as exhausted as the witch clearly was, Keelin thought that her girlfriend looked every bit as stunning as the day she had first laid eyes on her. Her beauty still managed to take the wolf's breath away on a daily basis.

"And you say her accelerated healing wasn't working?" asked Freya, as she took another sip of her drink.

"Oh no, it did kick in eventually. I ended up having to take her hourly observations myself, just so that the nurses on duty wouldn't get suspicious of the unusual rate of improvement in the patient. It just took a little longer than usual to get started. Alanna had lost that much blood, that her body had gone into shock. Even a wolf's…"

"Alanna?"

Freya's interruption caused Keelin to lose her track of thought.

"Sorry?"

"You said Alanna, as though you know her name! I thought you said that she came in as a Jane-Doe?" Freya had placed her coffee down on the table, and was now eying Keelin with a new found scrutiny.

"She had yes. But later in the early hours, when she regained consciousness and felt strong enough to speak, I sat with her for a while and tried to find out some details as to what had happened. I thought it would be best to find out as much as possible about her situation, just in case it had wider implications for Hayley, or your family. Or even myself. It's not often that a wolf is attacked in such a vicious manner, and it not have been pack-feud related."

Keelin saw something quickly flit across her girlfriend's face – an expression that she couldn't immediately place. Had something bothered her?

"Right. And so did you?"

"Did I what?" asked Keelin, still trying to figure out what emotion had suddenly taken hold of Freya.

"Did you find out the details off this wolf?"

The witch's last word seemed clipped, as though she was punctuating it and trying to make a point. Though what that point was exactly, was currently beyond Keelin's exhausted mind to fathom.

"Ah ok, yes I did. Well… to a point."

She recalled to Freya how the conversation with Alanna had progressed earlier that morning. The mysterious wolf had eventually regained consciousness at around 3am, and luckily Keelin had been in the patient's room at the time to help calm her down, before any panic had ensued in the department. As was typical when an injured wolf recovered from unconsciousness, the woman had instantly tried to leap out of her bed to take on an alert and defensive stance, whilst still attached to the various monitoring equipment she had been hooked up to. Keelin had had to use some of her own enhanced animal strength to restrain the patient down onto the mattress, whilst she speedily explained to her that she was in St Theadora's clinic, currently safe from any further harm, and needed to calm down else she was likely to tear the great number of stitches that had been employed to close all of her wounds. It hadn't been until Keelin had flashed the woman a glimpse of her own wolf-form eyes, that the patient had eventually stopped struggling against her vice like grip.

The woman had been extremely weary at first, eying Keelin intensely as she had begun to explain the state in which the Paramedic team had discovered her injured form, and how she was the doctor who had performed emergency surgery on her to help stop the flow of internal bleeding. Of which there had been a lot. Eventually, the woman's eyes had softened slightly - fear and mistrust being seemingly being replaced with fatigue and pain. As she had lowered herself back down completely onto the hospital pillow, she had uttered her first word since coming out of her unnatural slumber.

"Alanna".

Taking the name to be that of her patient, Keelin had gone on to gently probe the wolf to see if she could remember who, or what, had attacked her. As she questioned her, she had noticed with somewhat relief that the wolf's inherent accelerated healing powers had finally started to kick in. The various stitched wounds that Keelin could see on display across the woman's arms and collar bone, had begun to look less angry and puffy. And some of the smaller cuts on the wolfs face had almost disappearing completely. Keelin had fetched a suture removal kit from the storage trolley across the other side of the room, and begun removing stiches from the wounds that she could see were going to heal the quickest. There was no point leaving them in there, only for the wolfs skin to heal right over them.

Alanna had told her how the last thing she remembered was coming out of the bar Trudies, via its back entrance, so that she could get some fresh air. She had apparently been hitting the shots quite hard for most of the night, trying to drink away a particularly harsh day with her pack, and had needed a moment to simply breath and stop the world from spinning. That was when she had seen several cloaked figures appear out of the various shadows that loomed in the deserted alley behind the bar. She had tried to turn and quickly head back into the bar, but - well that was the last thing that she could remember. The next thing she had known, she was waking up in the hospital, scared and confused.

"Did she not have anyone with her, drinking in the bar?" Freya interjected into Keelin's recollections.

"Apparently not, Alanna said that she had been alone. And I think I believe her too. She seemed so confused and scared."

"So did she recognise any of the people who attacked her, before she blacked out?"

Again Freya's tone seemed to be curt, and short. It was starting to irritate Keelin a little. Why was she being so strange about this?

"No, apparently she didn't get chance to. Their faces were obscured by hoods, and it had been dark in the ally, with no external lighting to provide relief from the shadows."

Placing her empty coffee container onto the table, Freya started to push herself up out of the chair that she had been sat in, looking like she was getting ready to depart. Keelin frowned, and quickly followed suit, grabbing her jacket off the back of the seat where she has placed it.

As she turned to move the chair back under the table, she was suddenly collided into by a passing pedestrian, and knocked off her balance. Freya's fast reflexes were the only thing that stopped her upper body from meeting the ground at high speed, as the witch reached out and grabbed Keelin's arms, thankfully managing to steady her in the process. The witch was instantly frowning, and tried to look around Keelin's head to confront the person who had pushed into the wolf. Her gaze quickly changed to one of surprise however, when she recognised who the perpetrator was.

"Vincent!", the witch exclaimed loudly.

Keelin watched as Freya let go of her arms, and made towards the tall male who had collided with her a few seconds ago. She turned around to face them both, taking in the scene.

"Freya." Vincent said in a semi-polite manner, although Keelin could sense even from that one word, that there was no love lost between the two witches.

He looked over towards her, and appraised her where she stood with a quick glance up and down.

"Sorry…Keelin isn't it? I didn't mean to bump into you like that, I hadn't been watching where I was walking properly".

Before Keelin had chance to response, Freya interjected in a somewhat demanding tone.

"Vincent where in the world have you been? We've been trying to get hold of you for well over a week now!" The witch had fixed a steely glare onto Vincent, and Keelin could see that she would not be letting the man leave without first getting the answers she wanted. Her girlfriends fiery temper was in trouble of making an appearance.

Vincent finally turned his eyes from Keelin, and addressed Freya with a brisk tone.

"I have been busy, trying to keep the peace in the city. The Hollow left a mark of fear on our community, and it has been a taxing time trying to convince the witch faction of the city to remain here, instead of fleeing for pastures new."

"Busy?" Freya's voice had raised an octave or two, relaying her incredulous surprise at Vincent's response. "Busy talking to people and holding their hands? Vincent, in case you don't remember, the Hollow is missing all thanks to the spell we performed going wrong! She could be anywhere - planning god only knows what! My family has needed your help!"

"Freya your wretched family and its ongoing issues, has never been, nor ever will be my main concern. My responsibility lies with the safety and well being of this city's community. And since there has been no trace of the Hollow since she disappeared a few weeks ago, I have been spending my time instead trying to re-build the moral and peaceful society that we successfully created in your family's absence!"

Keelin saw that Freya was about ready to punch the male witch, and decided that she had better step in, to try and cool the air.

"Freya, shouldn't we be getting back to the compound? I'm pretty sure Hayley is going to want to hear about our news".

Her girlfriend pulled her eyes away from Vincent, only for them to land on Keelin with the same steely glower that she had been imposing onto the New Orlean's witch.

"What news?"

"You know, the news about my old friend visiting me at work last night". Keelin tried to talk to Freya using just her eyes. _Come on honey, catch on to my meaning!_

A heartbeat or two passed, before realisation finally seemed to wash over her lover.

"Right. Sure, fine." Freya said, still not calming her voice from her previous worked up state. The witch turned her head back to Vincent, as she made to leave with Keelin. "You need to get your priorities straight, Vincent. We need to find out where the damned evil spirit has gone to, and soon! Because you can bet your life that when she resurfaces, it won't just be my family that she comes after - it will be all of your precious community too!"

Keelin made to link hands with Freya, to guide her girlfriend away from the icy encounter with Vincent. But the witch began to walk away from the coffee shop before she could make contact with her, leaving Keelin's arm hanging in mid-air. Shaking her head slightly and sighing in frustration, the wolf hot tailed after her lover, leaving both Vincent and the coffee shop behind.

* * *

 **4.**

"Vestra natura libera esset. Vestra natura feroces esse."

The spell was complete.

She smiled to herself, satisfied with the way her plan was progressing, despite the feeling of immense lethargy that was currently washing over her. The spell had taken up every last morsel of power that she had managed to build up within the host figure, and she immediately had to sit down in the chair next to her before the legs of the body she inhabited gave way.

She laughed maliciously to herself, as she watched the crowds mingling along the Quarter's bustling main street.

 _How easily these humans were deceived._


	6. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5.**

" _ **You will not be punished for your anger. You shall be punished by your anger."**_

"Freya, please slow down!"

Keelin shouted after her girlfriend, who was charging ahead down the busy street towards the Mikaelson family Compound. It would soon be midday, and the Quarter was starting to overflow with people either out in search of their lunchtime meals, or on a quest for an afternoon drink to wash away the morning blues. The wolf had to repeatedly weave in and out of jovial pedestrians to avoid being collided with, and at one point jumped over a small Chihuahua dog, which was sat on the pavement waiting patiently for its owner to finish talking and continue on their walk.

 _What had gotten into the witch?_

She frantically played their recent encounter with Vincent over in her mind as she tried to gain ground on her lover. She had already known that the New Orleans witch and Freya were not exactly on the friendliest terms. The few previous times that she had met Vincent, he had shown nothing but contempt towards the Mikaelson family – even when he had appeared to be working together with them to be rid of a common enemy. Keelin had particularly not liked the way he had once spoken to her girlfriend, back at a party held by the Mikaelson family just over a month ago. It had been before she and Freya had admitted their feelings to each other, and she had been invited along to the gathering in what Keelin had seen as a flirtatious move by the Viking witch. Of course looking back, she doubted Freya even realised that she had been flirting. The girl could be so oblivious to her own feelings at times - and then often struggled to come to terms with them even when she did recognise that they existed.

 _Here was another dog in the street that she nearly tripped over. Didn't people know that there were confused wolves trying to catch up with stubborn witches here!_

She lost her train of thought suddenly, as a sharp penetrating pain shot up her right arm, originating from her hand. It was as intense as it was short lived, disappearing within only a second or two. Pausing briefly in her pursuit of Freya, she looked down to her hand expecting to see a bleeding cut somewhere on her flesh. All however seemed as it should, and there were no marks or nicks visible. _Had she knocked into something?_

Realising that she was now in danger of losing Freya completely to the crowds, Keelin resumed her pursuit, finally catching up with the witch just as they were about to turn and walk through the gates leading into her girlfriend's home.

"Freya, stop!"

The tall blonde came to a halt, and twisted her body so that she was facing Keelin as she reached her girlfriend. Freya's face had a look of thunder upon it, and it instantly raised the wolf's heckles.

"Why did you charge…off like that? You could have at least waited for me….to catch up with you!"

Keelin was slightly out of breath after having to practically run most of the way from the coffee-shop to the Compound, and it showed in her speech, making it breathy and broken.

"I hadn't realised that you were struggling to keep up. I thought you wolves were meant to be physically fit and full of energy ", Freya exclaimed - placing extra emphasis on the wolf reference.

"Ok, that's it! What in the world is wrong with you this morning?" Keelin finally reacted, feeling a small ball of fiery anger building up inside of her. Her girlfriend was really starting to annoy her with the weird attitude she seemed to have adopted since their earlier conversation. She might have been out of breath, but her words still managed to come out sternly enough to grab Freya's attention and cause the witch to raise her eye-brows in a slightly startled manner.

"Nothing - I'm just tired, and I've already had enough of today. I need to be focusing on finding the Hollow, but life just keeps getting in the way with insignificant issues".

Keelin felt like she had been slapped in the face by the witch, and she had to bite down on her tongue to try and reign in the flames of anger which were steadily growing in size in her chest. _She thinks my problems are insignificant?!_

"Well I'm terribly sorry to have bothered you, Miss Mikaelson. I'll make sure to take my "petty" troubles elsewhere from now on!"

She turned to leave - not really knowing where she was going to go, but knowing that it had to be away from Freya. She needed to try and calm down.

"Keelin, wait - I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that." The witch lent out and grabbed Keelin's upper arm from behind, to try and stop her from walking off.

Immediately the inner fire that had been quickly building in intensity within the wolf, flared out from the confines of her chest and burnt rapidly along the length of all her arteries and veins. Within a heartbeat, she became a slave to her instincts - all human thought leaving her mind, being replaced with those of pure animal reflexes.

A growl formed from deep within her throat, as she whipped her head around and bared freshly grown fangs at the individual in front of her. Her vision narrowed into an acute field of highly focused detail, as her eyes flared the bright yellow and orange colour of a predatory beast. The rest of her body quickly followed suit, spinning around and crouching into an attack stance, ready to pounce at the slightest sign of threat.

The figure in her line of sight stumbled back a step, and her acute nose picked up the subtle scent of fear appearing in tiny sweat beads along the creature's neck. Another growl formed in her throat, louder this time to warn….

"Keelin?"

The shaky voice cut through the rage burning through her mind, like a sharp knife sliding through soft butter - immediately acting as a neutralising agent. The fervour surging through her body quickly dissipated, and she could feel coherent thoughts returning to her mind, as though suddenly released from a hidden cage. As the sharp canines in her mouth rapidly retracted, and her vision softened back to the fuzziness of humanity, the person in front of her became familiar once more. Freya was stood looking at her in shocked surprise and concern, her hands thrown up in a defensive manner, as though she had been about to cast a spell.

 _Oh my god, what had just happened?_

Noticing that her lover's demeanour had now softened, Freya lowered her hands slightly. However the wolf could see from the witch's eyes that the she hadn't fully relaxed.

"Keelin?" Freya's voice was weary, and low in tone.

"I….Oh my god, Freya….did I hurt you?" Keelin's voice broke slightly as she spoke, betraying the deep confusion that had now engulfed her.

"What just happened? Did you lose control? Are you still wearing your ring?" Freya's eyes dropped to the wolf's right hand, searching for the Kyanite ring that had permanently lived on Keelin's index finger since the witch had given it her.

Raising her hand, Keelin showed the glistening jewellery to still be in place and in one piece.

"I…I don't know. One minute I was fine – I mean I was frustrated at you for rushing off and leaving me, but you know, a normal human level of frustrated. And the next…I…."

Keelin's sentence trailed off, as she started to feel her emotions beginning to build up within her again. It wasn't the fiery heat of anger this time, but rather a profound sense of frustration and upset. Had her girlfriend not run off and left her after their encounter with Vincent, she wouldn't have gotten angry in the first place! And had Freya not labelled Keelin's work problem as insignificant, dismissing it as an annoyance that was distracting her from more important things – well then she wouldn't have had that anger intensify and get out of control! Who did the witch think she was anyway, to believe her problems mattered more than Keelin's? What right did….

Keelin stopped herself mid-thought, shaken at how easily she had become worked up again. She couldn't bring herself to look Freya in the eyes, in fear of betraying the inner turmoil that was currently racking through her body. Lowering her head and dropping her voice to almost a whisper, the wolf spoke as she once more turned to leave

"I think I need to go and get some rest"

Unsure if the witch had even heard her, Keelin didn't wait for a response. She abruptly felt the need to be far away from absolutely everything and everyone, somewhere that the world could be silent and still. Somewhere where she couldn't hurt anyone, or do anything that she might regret. She needed to get a hold of the confusion that was swimming around in her head - and being stood there next to the witch in the entrance way to the Compound, suddenly felt very claustrophobic.

Taking off at a quick pace, she parted company with Freya without even a glance back, despite hearing her lover call after her in a worried and confused tone.

"Keelin?"

* * *

 **2.**

"Sister, your timing is impeccable! Come, we could use your input."

Klaus's greeting met Freya as she slowly entered into the Compound's large spacious courtyard, lost in her own troubled thoughts. Looking ahead to the striking dining table that featured as the focal point of the room, she could see that her brother was not alone. He was of course sat at the head of the slab, his usual preference as the ego-appointed matriarch of their family. However to his left sat Elijah, looking both troubled and deep in thought as he twirled an unused fork around with his left hand, its prongs pirouetting in a waltz on the thick wooden table surface. To Klaus's right was Marcel Gerard.

Freya ascertained that the self-proclaimed King of New Orleans did not look entirely comfortable as he perched on the edge of one of the families grand dining chairs. His posture was like that of a predatory African Lion, trying to look nonchalant whilst surrounded by family rivals wanting to claim a right to its hard-won territory. The lion was prepared to entertain the audience it held, whilst also ready to attack at the slightest hint of a challenge. Marcel's eyes were currently locked on to Elijah's bowed head, as though he was trying hard to bore deep into her brother's mind with just a look.

Usually a meeting of these particular fellows all in the same place, at the same time, would have caused her instant concern and put her on a magical high alert. All three had been known to go as far as killing each other in the past, when their discussions had got too heated – such was the complexity of her family. However this particular afternoon, Freya was having a hard time focusing on anything other than what that had just unfolded outside with her wolf lover.

 _Had Keelin really just been about to attack her?_

Confusion and concern were crashing together like ferocious tidal waves in her mind. Seeing the girl that she was falling in love with become so unexpectedly aggressive towards her -with canine teeth extended and bared in a spittle laced snarl, and eyes so savagely intense and feral – had completely thrown the witch off balance. So much so, that had Keelin actually have leapt to attack her, she didn't know if she would have been able to react in time to defend herself. Yes she had thrown her hands up in a pre-spell formation, but that had been more of a reflex action than actual mental preparation for releasing magic.

 _Would she have even tried to defend herself against Keelin?_

It's not like she had forgotten that her lover was actually a werewolf under the soft, human demeanour that had en-captured her heart so completely. They had, after all, met due to her family's need of Keelin's wolf venom. And although Keelin had yet to really open up to Freya about her younger life spent living within the Malroux family pack, the wolf did divulge snippets of her past now and then, usually when describing how happy she was to have made a life for herself outside of the typically violent pack existence.

And on occasion - usually when the two of them were making love - Freya would catch a glimpse of her partner's eyes briefly changing from their usual deep and warm brown colour, to the wild yellow and orange tones of the wolf beast within. It had certainly not been of a concern to Freya in those moments however. Quite the opposite in fact. She had found it to be a huge turn on - knowing that her lover was so absorbed in the passion between them, that her animal instincts were aroused by the intensity of the pleasure she was feeling.

Keelin's eyes had not certainly held any pleasure in them today though - they had been those of a lethal killer, poised to strike.

"Freya, do be a dear and try and make it over to us sometime before sunset!"

Her younger brother's sarcastic quip pulled the witch out of her thoughts, as she realised that she was still standing in the Courtyard's entranceway, having not moved a muscle since he had announced her arrival.

 _Come on Freya, pull it together – your family needs you!_

"Apologies brother," Freya called, as she forced one leg in front of the other to make her way over to the expecting immortals, "I was lost in my thoughts momentarily."

"Good thoughts I should hope, Sister. And how is your girlfriend today?" Klaus replied, with a brief mischievous and suggestive smirk flashing across his face.

"You said that you required my time, Klaus?" Freya said curtly, choosing to ignore his jibe – she was definitely not ready to share what had just happened between Keelin and herself with her family. Especially since Marcel was amongst them.

Frowning slightly, Klaus eyed his oldest sibling for a few seconds before seeming to decide to let the subject drop.

"Marcellus here has come to tell us of his current feud with Vincent - although the reason why he would think that we would be interested in their petty New Orleans council squabble, is so far eluding me!"

Freya watched as Marcel finally dragged his eyes away from the top of Elijah's head, to meet Klaus's look with one of his own, annoyed stares.

"Like I previously said Klaus, I wouldn't be here if I didn't think it was important. And let me remind you that the only reason that you and your family are still currently here in New Orleans, is because I have allowed it!" The vampire's tone implied that he was just one step away from withdrawing his current hospitality. "Don't make me regret it!"

Klaus lowered his gaze for a second, and Freya could tell that the Hybrid was attempting to hold his tongue - no doubt biting off a snide rhetorical that if unleashed, would end up with them all having to leave the family compound for pastures new once again.

It was a positive development for her brother, who was best known for acting first - consequences be damned!

"I am sure what my brother means to say, Marcellus, is that we welcome any information that you can share with us during this turbulent time" Elijah raised his head from his ardent inspection of the turning fork, to re-join the conversation. "Please, do continue."

"Right." The vampire sighed, and returned to his original address. "Well as I was saying, Vincent did not turn up to our last scheduled meeting, so I asked my boy Josh to find the witch, and see what the problem was. It took a while, but Josh finally found Vincent earlier this morning. Apparently he was strolling along Bourbon St like a man without a care in the world, a big grin on his face and looking like he was constantly smelling the air."

"Smelling the air? What ludicrously do you speak of?" Klaus demanded, as he poured himself a drink from the whiskey decanter sitting on the table to his left.

Freya had noticed that since she had returned to the Compound, Elijah had been nursing that particular decanter close to where he sat, and had already sunk 4 shots of the golden brown liquid in the short time she had been there.

 _Was he drunk?_

"Hey these were Josh's words, not mine! Regardless, the witch apparently seemed in a very jovial mood. When Josh approached him and asked where he had been and why he had missed our meeting, Vincent told him that he had other more important matters at hand, such as boosting the moral of the city."

Freya's earlier disdain for the New Orleans witch born from their brief morning encounter came crashing back, momentarily causing her to forget about her concerns over Keelin.

"He said something similar to me too."

Klaus and Elijah's gazes immediately shifted from Marcel to Freya, expectedly waiting on her to elaborate.

Sighing, the witch quickly recalled the words briefly exchanged between her and Vincent moments before she had arrived home. She didn't try to hide the disdain from her voice as she recollected, knowing there was no love lost between her brothers and the New Orleans witch.

"So", Klaus exclaimed, suddenly rising out of his seat and spreading his arms out in a collective gesture, "To summarise - what everyone is saying is that Vincent is clearly up to no good, simply because the man has been busy tending to his community, and also happens to a spring in his step today? Have I got that right?"

Silence met him, as Freya and the other two men in the room exchanged almost chastised glances.

"Right! Well as riveting as this gathering has been, I am going to go and spend the rest of my day being slightly more productive, playing jacks with my daughter."

"Nicklaus…"

Elijah made a start to try and placate his brother, but was immediately cut off by Marcel who also arose from his chair to match Klaus's standing stature. Freya could see that the vampire's temper was frayed and flaring, causing her to make a quick mental check of her inner power reserve, making sure that it was primed and ready for use at a split seconds notice.

"Well that's just typical of you, isn't it Klaus! I take time out of my day to come here and speak with you – which by the way I really didn't have to bother with – and all you can do is mock and make fun like the spoilt, self-important man child that you are."

"Marcellus, please…."

Again Elijah's pleas were cut short.

"No dear brother, do let the reverent King of New Orleans have his say. Clearly, we have disturbed his incredibly busy schedule of shining his crown jewels, and poking the court jester for fun!"

Freya was beginning to get a headache.

"Gentlemen!"

All four pairs of eyes in the courtyard immediately turned to the grand staircase leading down from the Compounds upper quarters, to see where the new voice of reason had come from. Descending the steps in her usual graceful manner, was Hayley, looking mildly irritated as her eyes touched base with each of them in turn.

"Whilst I realise that it is practically impossible for this family to have a civil conversation that doesn't descend into chaotic shouting, I would like to remind you that we have a little girl upstairs who does not need any further reminders right now of how dysfunctional her family actually is!"

As Klaus moved to meet Hayley at the bottom of the staircase, Freya couldn't' help but notice that her other brother visibly tensed in his posture as his eye's fell to the ground. It seemed that Elijah was still torturing himself over the tattered state of his and the Hybrid's relationship. She felt a small pang of remorse for him flush through her, thinking about how he had been through so much over the past couple of months.

"Apologies my dear," Klaus addressed Hayley as she came to a standstill on the last step of the staircase. "Is my daughter ok?"

"She will if everyone can stop filling this house with such negative energy. Don't you think she has been through enough lately? She needs to be surrounded by love - not the anger and angst of your never-ending squabbles!"

Freya watched both Klaus and Marcels eyes fall, as they appeared to be effectively admonished by the Wolf Queen's ire. She had to admit to herself - Hayley could be quite the force to be reckoned with when she was angry.

"Apologies Hayley, I did not mean to cause any worry to your daughter".

Marcels assurance seemed both sincere and heartfelt. Ever since he and Hope had spent an evening together escaping the clutches of The Hollow's henchmen, Freya had witnessed the King of New Orleans develop quite the soft spot for the smallest Mikaelson. She suspected that it was actually the unexpected blossoming bond between Marcel and youngest witch, that was keeping them all from being turfed out of New Orleans by the fierce vampire. As it certainly wasn't her brother Klaus's lack of diplomatic tact.

"Please tell me there was at least a good reason for all the shouting that was making its way up to her bedroom?" Hayley looked from Marcel to Klaus, expectedly.

Marcel sighed, and began walking towards the Compounds entranceway as he replied to Hayley's query.

"Just know that I think something is off with Vincent, and I plan on having my boys keep a close eye on him until I'm proven wrong."

"Vincent?" Hayley looked questioningly at Klaus, who only offered her a quick shrug of his shoulders before shaking his head lightly. It was clear that he still thought the fierce vampire was clutching at none existent straws.

"Oh, and one more thing", Marcel said as he twisted around to briefly address them all before exiting the building. "Josh said that Vincent mentioned he is planning a big street party in a week's time. To help raise the moral of the community, now that the Hollow has gone".

Freya looked at the vampire in disbelief. _A Mardi Gras, whilst they still had no idea where the deadly evil Spirit had disappeared to! Had the New Orleans Witch lost his mind?_


	7. Chapter 6

The temperature of the New Orleans Bayou very rarely fluctuated from its usual uncomfortable and humid status-quo. It was one of the many Louisiana swamps surrounding the big city, filled to saturation with exotic wildlife, beautiful plant-life, and the hint of old town Cajun culture surrounding its slow-moving river. Compared to the bustling urban playground nearby, not many tourists frequented the area - with the exception of the odd swamp tour arranged by local businesses, so that curious visitors could feel that they had immersed themselves completely in the full "Big Easy" experience.

These often-rushed excursions, were always held when the day was at its brightest, despite the increased midday heat making the already unpleasant tropical conditions intensify in their overbearing presence. And they were never conducted on the 3 days of the month when the moon had swelled to its full aptitude high in the evening sky.

On this particular evening however, the sun's twilight inhabiting brother was presenting just under three quarters of its full capacity, giving only a hint of a ghostlike glow to the otherwise murky everglade. Despite the late hour, the Bayou was starting to come alive with the sounds of its tropical wildlife waking from their daytime slumbers to begin their nightly hunt for food.

It was these melodic orchestral animal sounds that finally caused the sleeping woman nestled on a mound of fallen brown and red leaves at the base of a large ancient tree, to stir from her exhaustion induced rest. The figure slowly pushed herself up into a sitting posture, as small pieces of foliage fell from her shirt and hair.

Keelin was drowsy and confused – _where was she_?

Slowly looking around to take in her surroundings, the wolf tried her best to remember the last thing that she had been doing, before waking up here, disorientated in the wilderness.

Running. She recalled running. And the odd sensation of needing to escape everything to do with the built up city of New Orleans.

 _Had she morphed into her wolf form?_

No - looking down at herself as she sat in on the damp yet oddly warm ground, she confirmed that she was still fully clothed in the garments that she had dressed in earlier that day. Had she transformed into her full wolf form, the clothes would have been discarded somewhere as they had fallen off her thick brown wolf pelt.

A small wave of temporary relief washed over her following this realisation – _at least she hadn't lost complete control._

Her memories from the day started to gradually trickle back into her mind like a small stream of water escaping from a dam entrapped lake. She had finished work at the hospital and gone to meet Freya for a coffee - that much was now clear again in her head. And she seemed to remember them speaking with the New Orleans witch Vincent outside of the coffee-shop, though what had been said was still annoyingly fuzzy in her head. Had he been admonishing Freya over something to do with her family? Or was it…..

 _Oh my god, Freya!_

Keelin suddenly felt as though a large out of control truck had hit her full on in the stomach, as the memory of her earlier confrontation with the Viking witch came hitting home, forcing its way through the now crumbling barrier in her mind.

 _She had nearly attacked her girlfriend, right there on the street outside of the Mikaelson compound!_

Ashamed tears immediately began to well up in her eyes, as she recalled the look of shock and fear that had been plastered on Freya's face after Keelin had regained control of her emotions. It had only been a momentary lapse which could not have lasted more than just a few seconds - but it had been long enough to give her witch lover a terrifying glimpse the true killer which permanently lived within Keelin's core.

 _Oh god, what if she hadn't of regained control. What if she had actually hurt the woman she loved - or worse, what if she had…._

Keelin shook her head viciously, trying to dislodge the terrifying image from her mind. She could not let herself go down that dark road of self-doubt and blame again. There had been a time when such feelings had all but consumed her, after she had first triggered her werewolf curse as a 19 year old teenager. The guilt and remorse that the wolf had felt following her first kill, had been so intense and overpowering that she had almost taken her own life one evening shortly after, in an attempt to end the soul crushing blame that she had lumbered upon herself. It had truly been a dark time of life for her, and she had almost not made it back out of the abyss into which she had sunk.

Realising that several hours must have now passed since she had run away from her girlfriend, leaving her in a shocked state stood on the sidewalk, Keelin quickly fumbled her hands over the pockets of the dirt stained trousers she was wearing, in search of her mobile phone. Relief swept over her as she finally located it in the back right-hand compartment of the tarnished light blue skinny jeans.

 _Well at least I didn't lose my means of connection to the outside world whilst on my wild run through the Bayou!_

As she brought the smart phone up into her line of sight and activated the home screen button, she immediately saw what looked like several attempts made by the witch to contact her over the past couple of hours. Not only had Freya sent her a handful of text messages, but she also had 4 missed calls from the witch, and 2 voicemail messages left. Guilt flooded her mind as she realised just how confused Freya must have been over her actions towards her. But she would not be alone in that instance – Keelin was also bewildered.

She could not begin to fathom what had caused her to suddenly lose control of her emotions so completely. Since the Kyanite ring had been in place on her finger, she had maintained absolute domination over her wolf instincts and traits, with the one exception seemingly being when she and Freya made love to each other.

 _Freya. What in the world was she going to say to her girlfriend? Would she even be able to reconcile the damage that she had no doubt now caused to their relationship?_

Keelin was abruptly startled out of her thoughts as the phone in her hand suddenly began emitting a high pitched ringing noise. The sound was a harsh intrusion upon the otherwise natural ambience of the surrounding Bayou, and it made Keelin instantly worry about attracting unwanted attention to her current location. One look at the screen told her that it was her witch girlfriend, trying once again to get in touch.

She was about to swipe the phone's screen and answer the call, when she unexpectedly hesitated, with her finger poised just over the touch-sensitive glass – _What was she going to tell her lover? How could she explain what had happened when she didn't fully understand it herself? Would Freya even want an explanation, or was she just calling to tell the wolf that it was over between them…._

"Are you going to answer that, or what?"

Keelin let out a small yelp of surprise, as her whole body jumped in reaction to the sudden arrival of a human voice, causing her to drop the still ringing phone out of her hand.

Her eyes flew up to look for the voice's owner, and was immediately confronted with the sight of a familiar woman, stood leaning against a tall tree in front of her, just over 10 meters away.

It was the wolf whose life she had saved, earlier that morning.

As Keelin stared at the newcomer with wide eyes whilst trying to recover from her initial shock, her discarded phone that was now lightly covered by a few damp leaves and twigs on the ground - ceased its shrill racket.

Alanna chuckled to herself as she eyed up Keelin's current dishevelled form.

"I'm guessing that call can't have been anyone important then?"

 **2.**

The humidity of the night appeared to be increasing all around the land surrounding New Orleans largest Bayou. A complete lack of breeze in the air, made the rising temperature seem a few degree's higher than it truly was, and Keelin was now half wishing that she had actually lost some of her clothes after all, during her earlier emotion fuelled jaunt through the dense woodland.

 _Although it certainly would have made her current situation a lot more awkward than it already seemed to be._

She and the younger wolf, Alanna, were currently striding alongside one of the Bayou's wide banks, following its gentle flow as it made its way downstream. After finding Keelin disorientated and confused in the middle of the copse, Alanna had offered to walk the wolf back to the nearby city limits where she could then catch a cab back home to her apartment. Keelin had been reluctant to accept the woman's offer at first, weary of the newcomer's intentions and unfamiliar stature. However she had soon realised that she didn't really have much of a choice, since she had had absolutely no idea of her exact location within the Bayou, or how she would have attempted to make her way back to civilisation.

She could have of course called Freya, and the witch would no doubt have been able to perform a locator spell using one of Keelin's many personal items that now resided in her lover's bedroom. But that would have involved Freya having to come out and retrieve the wolf from the Bayou herself, and Keelin was still unsure as to how she was going to explain her recent shameful behaviour to her girlfriend. She couldn't even explain it to herself.

Alanna had seemed to have sensed Keelin's inner turmoil over whether to take up her offer of help, and had quickly offered an explanation as to why she herself was currently out roaming in the Bayou. Not long after Keelin had finished her graveyard shift at the clinic, the smaller wolf had become restless whilst lying in her hospital bed, her injuries having nearly completely healed. Not wanting to face any difficult questions from the medical staff whom had just started their morning shifts, Alanna had unhooked herself from the various monitors and drips that she had been connected to, and slipped out of the hospital without drawing attention to herself. She had then immediately made her way back to the Bayou, to find the other members of her pack, and inform them of what had happened to her the night before.

The younger wolf's small community was apparently living in the Bayou temporarily, dwelling in a few scattered trailers, whilst they were trying to locate a more permanent solution within the city itself. They had re-located here a few weeks ago, from the outskirts of a place called Mystic Falls, which Keelin had not heard of before. The aptly named town was currently having a particularly bloody vampire issue, and the wolves had decided to up their roots and leave for pastures new to try and secure the continuation of their pack-line.

It was something that Keelin could certainly relate to - the fear of losing several generations of a wolf pack to blood thirsty and malicious vampires. She had lost her own pack in a similar manner, and it still deeply hurt to think back to the day when she had come home from college in Austin to find her mother, father and siblings all laying dead throughout their family home.

Freya had so far been giving Keelin space when it came to her background and family, not probing too deeply or asking any questions that she thought might upset her. She of course knew that they were no longer living, and that their demise had been at the hands of feral vampires. But she had not pushed Keelin to reveal any further details, and had even told her that she would be ready to listen should the wolf ever need to talk about her past, but would never hold it against her should she need to leave it exactly where it was, in the past.

Keelin smiled slightly, as she continued to walk alongside the younger wolf in silence. Freya could be so fierce and cold at times, and when the witch was angrily fighting her enemies and unleashing her ancient power, she was truly an intimidating sight to behold. But the Viking also had a very sensitive and caring side to her, that Keelin was slowly beginning to see more and more of as their dating continued.

 _And now she had potentially ruined the whole thing._

"Penny for your thoughts"

Keelin looked up from the ground that she had been staring intently at, to see her newest acquaintance studying her with a curious look on her face. It occurred to the wolf that now all the swelling, cuts and bruises had healed from Alanna's face and body, the woman was actually quite an attractive looking girl. An inch or two shorter than Keelin, with tussled cropped brown hair and crystal blue eyes, she kind of reminded the wolf of her first girlfriend from many moons ago, back when she had first started exploring her sexuality after graduating College. All be it a little younger. _She figured the woman was maybe what, 21, or 22?_

"I was just wondering how I am going to explain this mess once I get home".

"What is there to explain? You said that you were out running under the influence of your wolf spirit, right? Well what is wrong with that? It's all part of who we are"

Alanna's tone was so matter-of-fact and blasé about the beast nature that resided inside of them both, it almost made Keelin chuckle out loud, despite her current bleak frame of mind.

"To be honest, it wouldn't be quite so bad if all I had done was go out for a run in the woods." Keelin shook her head and dropped her gaze back down to the boggy ground that they were treading along.

Alanna gave her a few seconds, and then probed a little further.

"So what else happened? Did you hurt someone?"

"I nearly did." Keelin could feel the sting of hot tears starting to swell in her eyes again. "I was very close to attacking her".

"Her?"

Keelin looked up at Alanna again, as tears escaped from her each of her eyes, trailing their way down her cheeks and leaving a shiny trail that glistened in the moonlight.

"My girlfriend, Freya."

"Ah!" Alanna looked at her for a few seconds longer, and then turned her head out towards the Bayou. "Well, if she's a decent girlfriend, she will understand right? I assume she knows that you are a werewolf after all?"

Keeling nodded at the woman, who had turned her head back to look at the older wolf.

"So, there you go then. She will know that our kind has a hard time controlling our emotional outbursts. Its all part and parcel of the whole werewolf deal!"

Keelin had forgotten what it was like to live among a pack, completely immersed in a culture where violence and emotional impulses were seem as a normal state of affairs, and any outbreaks of such things were just brushed off as "one of those things". It had never really sat well with her though, even back before she had gained the Kyanite ring, and before she had begun engineering a self-made cure for her werewolf traits – she had always hated the aggression that surrounded her life within her family pack. It was that loathing of hostility that had driven her into the medical profession in the first place. A chance to make amends - a chance to live a better life.

Alanna seemed to sense that Keelin's thoughts, and stopped them both in their tracks, suddenly turning to stand in front of the older wolf. She gazed up at Keelin, with what seemed to be a genuine look of concern in her eyes.

"Hey, remember not everything about being a wolf is violence and ruin you know. We are also capable of immense passion and great love too. I have never met anyone who can possess such fierce compassion quite as abundantly as a wolf can."

Keelin looked at the woman in front of her, and realised that the girl was genuinely concerned for her, despite hardly knowing her. It brought a small smile to her face.

"It's just been so long since I have allowed myself to feel any of it. All the anger, all the frustration – the unbridled passion, the boundless energy for life. The rush of the hunt. All of it."

A trace of confusion crossed the younger wolf's face.

"What do you mean?"

Keelin sighed, and cast her eyes thoughtfully across the large expanse of Bayou waters to their right. It looked so peaceful and calm in the light of the three-quarter moon - so serene. A complete contrast to how she was currently feeling inside.

"I er…..I have been supressing my wolf traits, for quite some time now."

The perplexity on Alanna's face only seemed to deepen, as she considered Keelin's statement for a second or two.

"Supressing? How? What do you mean?"

Keelin turned her gaze back to her walking companion, and smiled at the woman.

"It's a long story, but let's just say that being a doctor has its advantages sometimes."

Just as Alanna appeared to be about to ask her another question, Keelin's phone began chiming again – the shrill noise slightly muffled this time by the material of her jean's back pocket. She hesitated in her actions, anxiety beginning to crawl up her spine.

The younger wolf looked at her, and chuckled again at her obvious dilemma.

"You should probably get that you know, to tell the urban world that you're ok."

Keelin pulled the phone out of her pocket, and looked nervously at her girlfriend's picture that was currently lighting up the screen as it rang.

"Yeah….here goes nothing!"

 **3.**

Hayley smiled lovingly at her daughter, as she sat on the edge of her bed watching the young girl struggling to stay awake.

Hope's bedroom was for the most part soaked in darkness, with the exception of the new addition of a small Night-Lamp which stood on the bed-side table just to the left of the child's bed, emitting a soft short reaching glow. The soothing light gently highlighted the young girls face, allowing Hayley to watch on as her daughters eyes started to droop more and more, whilst she read a night time story to her.

The compound was relatively silent for once, with Hope's father and uncle having departed to spend the night reconciling in one of the many bars along Burbon St, and Freya cooped up in her Bell-Tower as per normal for this time of night. It had been a perfect opportunity for Hayley to spend a cosy night of bonding with her daughter, and the two of them had been having fun pretending to be princesses who needed saving from handsome knights in shining armour.

 _Ironic, Hayley thought, since one of them was a formidable Hybrid, and the other had the potential to be the most powerful witch that the world had ever seen._

She lowered her voice, so as not to disturb sleeps natural pull on the young witch.

"And that was how the evil baron was defeated by the brave young knight…"

The girl's eyes finally fell completely shut, and did not re-open when Hayley trailed off her speech. The hybrid quietly closed the large book that she had been reading from and placed it on the nightstand, next to the small lamp. She reached over, making to switch the light off so that the small witch could sleep in darkness, but then hesitated, and withdrew her hand again.

Hope had been having a few nightmares recently, ever since the Hollow's spirit had been exorcised out of her by Vincent's now infamous spell. Hayley had been waking in the middle of the night to the heart-wrenching sound of the young witch screaming out in her sleep. She had dashed each time to Hope's bed-side within seconds of waking, usually to be met by Klaus who had also been disturbed by the crying of his daughter. Between them they had been managing to comfort the girl, and they had been taking it in turns to lay with her until she had fallen back to sleep again.

Hayley had tried a couple of times to get the young witch to tell her what the nightmares had been about, usually over breakfast the morning after they had occurred. But Hope had been refusing to talk about them, saying that they were just bad dreams and that she didn't want to think about them anymore that she had to. The young witch's reluctance to share what terrors had been disturbing her had been leaving Klaus particularly troubled, as he felt unable to provide protection from whatever demons were plaguing his daughters mind. Hayley had been trying her best to assure the over protective father that whatever the nightmares were, they were only that – nightmares – and that most young children had them from time to time.

 _Especially ones who had been through the sort of trauma that Hope had at the hands of the Hollow._

The dreams had still been worrying Hayley non-the-less, so she had been out and bought her daughter the new night-light that was now standing guard over the young witch, as she drifted off into sleep. She decided to leave it on throughout the night, just in case Hope awoke upset by the dark.

Hayley spent a couple more seconds sat watching her daughters breathing settle into a sleeping rhythm, before slowly pushing herself up off the small bed. Bending over, she gently placed a soft kiss on the young girl's forehead, before treading lightly over to the doorway that led into the Compounds upper hallway.

As she opened the door, and backed out of the bedroom slowly whilst still watching her daughter, she suddenly collided with someone charging down the passageway.

"Oooph!"

Hayley spun round with her senses immediately on full alert, only to come face-to-face with Freya, who was quickly steadying herself with one hand against the walkway's near wall.

"Hayley.."

The Hybrid immediately put a finger to her lips to indicate to the witch to be quite, as she softly closed the door to Hope's room. Freya silently mouthed an apology to her and made to continue down the hallway, in the direction of her own room. However before the witch had fully turned to resume her march, Hayley caught a brief glimpse of what she thought looked like tear stains marring the woman's cheeks.

 _It was not like Freya to cry. What had happened?_

She followed the witch down towards the last room on the landing, and stood in the door's threshold as she watched Freya wearily remove her outer jacket and throw it on the bed. Something definitely seemed amiss with her daughter's aunt.

"Is everything ok, Freya?" she called from the doorway in almost a whisper, still mindful so as not to cause enough sound in the Compound to wake Hope.

Freya spun her head around in the Hybrid's direction, clearly startled that she had followed her from Hope's room. Now that she could see her face more clearly, Hayley confirmed to herself that the witch had definitely been crying - her eyes were still slightly bloodshot and swollen from the event. She looked tired too. Even more exhausted than she had already appeared over the past couple of weeks, which Hayley hadn't thought could be possible.

She was suddenly full of concern for the eldest Mikaelson, as she watched her bow her head and heave a heavy sigh.

Walking slowly into the witch's room, Hayley extended her arm out and placed a gentle hand on the woman's shoulder.

"Freya? Has something happened?"

They hybrid felt her physically wilt, as she lent slightly into Hayley's touch.

"I can't get hold of Keelin"

Hayley frowned at the statement, but decided to wait for the witch to continue, before she asked any further questions. It was not unusual for Keelin to be unreachable at this time of night, as she was currently working a rotation of back-to-back graveyard shifts at the Clinic in the 9th. So Hayley fathomed that there was probably more to this than met the eye. Freya was not naturally a sharer when it came to her feelings, but the hybrid sensed that on this occasion if she let her go at her own pace, the witch would continue with more information.

Freya practically sank onto the bed, turning to sit on its edge as she placed her head in hands, which made her words come out slightly muffled when she continued to address the hybrid.

"I shouldn't have been so off-hand with her this morning – it's all my fault"

"What happened this morning?" replied Hayley, as she lowered herself down onto the bed to sit next to the witch.

Sighing heavily, Freya proceeded to describe to the hybrid the events that had unfolded outside of the Compound, which had resulted in Keelin departing without a further word to her girlfriend. As she finished, she raised her head out of her hands, and looked the Hybrid in the eyes expectantly with her tired and bloodshot gaze.

"So you don't think she's at work?" asked Hayley.

"No she's not. I called earlier - an hour after she would have started work - and asked if I could speak with her, but the staff nurse told me that she hadn't turned up for her shift."

"Have you tried scrying for her?"

The witch shook her head with a severity that let Hayley know her suggestion had not even been thought of.

"I promised Keelin after the Sleeping Spell indecent, that I would not use magic upon her again without consulting with her first"

Hayley nodded her head, as she remembered the dressing down that Keelin had given Freya for that small protection spell. The wolf was generally a very jovial and happy person, but on the afternoon after the Hollow had disappeared, Keelin had certainly given the witch a piece of her mind over her use of non-consensual magic, as they were stood right in the middle of the compounds courtyard. Hayley had not known where to look.

"I'm sure it's nothing to worry about Freya. She is a wolf after all - sometimes it's hard to deal with normal human life when your emotions are running that wild and high. I should know, it happened to me plenty of times before I became a Hybrid."

Freya wasn't so easily reassured.

"I understand that, but she has her Kyanite ring now. She should be able to control her wolf nature completely. But this morning, it was like she had no power over it at all. Or at least I don't think she did."

The witch knitted her brows together as she seemed to continue to play over the morning's encounter silently in her head.

"I was so wrapped up in my own problems, and I was really short with her when she was trying to tell me about the wolf she saved the life of at work. I didn't think…."

"What wolf?" Hayley interrupted the witch.

"Huh?" Freya looked up at her, clearly startled to have had her train of thought broken.

"You said she saved the life of a wolf at the clinic? Do you know who the wolf was?"

"I think she said her name was Alanna, or similar. The woman had been attacked earlier that evening outside one of the bars down the street. She was badly cut up by a group of hooded figures, and Keelin said that she had been at deaths door when the paramedics got her to the clinic."

Hayley frowned at the new information. She wasn't aware of any new wolf packs having arrived in New Orleans recently, other than the Malraux line of course, of which Keelin was the sole remaining survivor. Most of the Hybrids own pack had dispersed over the past 5 years, since Jackson had been lost. Only really Hope's Grandma, Mary, remained living full time in the Bayou, and surely she would have said if another pack had moved in on her territory.

"Freya, did Keelin say what pack line this Alanna belonged to?"

A look of guilt flashed across the witch's face, as bowed her head slightly and chewed on her bottom lip.

"I er… didn't really give her much chance to tell me. I was already losing time that could have been spent hunting for the Hollow, and then Keelin was telling me about some wolf she had met, and…"

"Are you telling me you were jealous?" Hayley asked, a little surprise leaking into her tone.

Freya didn't answer, but from the guilt that was increasingly becoming apparent in the witch's posture, Hayley knew that she had hit home with her assumption. She smiled a little to herself, as she realised that the eldest Mikaelson had clearly fallen for the Malraux wolf hard.

She made an effort to soften her tone, so as not to sound as though she was admonishing.

"Freya, the woman was a patient at the clinic. It's was Keelin's job to treat her and make sure she received the best possible care that she could get. It's just work to her."

The witch nodding her head was the only response that Hayley got.

"Keelin's a good person, and as far as I can tell she is just as besotted with you, as you are with her!"

Freya finally raised her head and met Hayley's eyes with her own.

"She was the one who moved to New Orleans to be near you, remember! You have nothing to worry…"

Her flow was cut short by the sound of Freya's phone suddenly buzzing to life. She watched with amusement as the witch practically leapt out her skin in an attempt to dive on the discarded coat on the bed and fish the mobile device out of its pocket. The hybrid could see from the bright screen that it was Keelin calling, and decided she should probably give Freya some space to speak with her girlfriend alone.

Rising from the bed, she headed for the door as she overhead Freya answering the call.

"Keelin? Where are you? Are you ok?"

As she headed away from the bedroom, and began to make her way downstairs into the courtyard, Hayley made a mental note to pay a visit to Mary in the morning. Hope had not seen her Grandma in a while – and she had to admit, she was more than a little intrigued as to who this new wolf, Alanna, was.


	8. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7.**

" _ **If**_ _ **passion**_ _ **drives you, let reason hold the reins."**_

Freya stood looking at the closed apartment door in front of her, with her right hand poised hovering over the buzzers small button.

The hallway she was in was poorly lit, with no relief being provided from the floor-to-ceiling window at the end of the corridor due to the late hour. Only two out of the six apartment-door lights were functioning, giving the space a rather ominous atmosphere to it, as though it was the kind of crime scene where a deranged axe murder was likely to jump out at any second, to slay his next victim.

It was not the creepy ambiance of the corridor however that was currently causing the witch to be on edge.

She had finally managed to speak to her girlfriend earlier that evening on the phone, and had been happy to discover that the wolf was alive, unhurt, and seemingly back in full control of herself. However the relief that had washed over her upon hearing Keelin's voice, had been disappointingly short lived. The wolf had said that she was making her way home from the Bayou - _what had she been doing in the Bayou –_ and that she was just going to head back to her own place to crash for the remainder of the night. When Freya had offered to come and meet her to walk her home, Keelin had uncharacteristically brushed her off, citing exhaustion and the need for a hot shower alone to help refocus her mind. Freya had of course agreed, attempting to sound as understanding and sympathetic as she could whilst simultaneously trying to hide the growing concern that was building inside of her belly.

It just wasn't like Keelin to keep her at such arms-length in this way - even when she was exhausted. And the witch's gut instincts were telling her that there was something more to what had happened than she currently knew.

She had lain on her bed after the call, awake and unable to sleep, whilst staring at her bedrooms ceiling as her mind had raced double time on all the possible scenarios that could be unfolding.

 _Was the magic that she had spelled into Keelin's Kyanite ring no longer working? Had it solely been her own off-hand attitude towards her girlfriends work issue that had caused the wolf to fly off the handle? Was something bigger bothering the wolf?_

The questions had spun around in her head continuously for a few hours like hamsters running on a never slowing reel - until she had been unable able to take the frustration of not knowing any longer. Despite her own better judgement, and Keelin's expressed wish to be left alone for the night, Freya had quickly thrown on her leather jacket and left the Compound quietly, so as not to wake either Hayley or Hope.

And now here she was, stood nervously outside of her lover's apartment, struggling to work up the courage to press the small white button that lay underneath her right index finger.

 _What if Keelin was angry at her for ignoring her girlfriend's wishes, and refused to let her in? Should she demand to speak with the wolf anyway - make her listen to what she had to say? What if…._

The solid oak door in front of Freya suddenly swung inwards, quickly unsealing the physical barrier between the hallway and apartment. Freya still had her hand raised as though to ring the buzzer, when the newly exposed threshold revealed Keelin to be stood on the other side, a look of tired confusion on her face.

One of the first things to register in the witch's mind as she lowered her hand, was how gorgeous her girlfriend looked standing in front of her. Freshly showered with damp dark curls cascading around her face and shoulders, the wolf was wearing just a thin oversized t-shirt that barely made it half way down her thighs. The material was so fine that Freya could clearly make out the shape of Keelin's nipples as they quickly hardened in response to the sudden rush of cold air being let into the apartment. The sight caused a flash of heat to quickly flare in between Freya's thighs, despite the uneasy situation she now found herself in.

Quickly trying to regain focus, she spoke the first words that came into her racing mind.

"How did you know I was here?"

"Freya, I'm a wolf remember - I recognised your scent before you even stepped into the building lobby."

Keelin looked her up and down quickly, before continuing.

"Besides, your heartbeat has been thudding so loud and fast for the past few minutes, I thought that a marching band was taking up residence in the hallway."

The witch felt a small wave of embarrassment surge through her, and her cheeks flushed pink to reflect the emotion on her face. All the things that she had been planning to say to her lover quickly disappeared out of her head, and she was left looking at the ground whilst trying to engage her brain back into action.

Keelin smiled softly as she watched the witch come undone in her signature awkward manner.

"Well since you are here, you might as well come in before you wake all my neighbours with your noisy thoughts".

The wolf let go of the door handle, and began to make her way back into the open living space of her new home, leaving Freya still stood uneasily in the doorway. Sensing that she wasn't being followed, Keelin slowly twisted around and beckoned Freya in with her index finger.

Finally regaining some control of her body, Freya slowly stepped across the threshold and into her girlfriend's apartment, closing the door behind her. Glancing around quickly, she was struck with the impression of how homely the place had now become since Keelin had finished moving in her belongings. She also realised with some guilt, that she had only actually been in the place twice before.

The first time being when Keelin had first signed the lease and picked up her keys. The witch had gone with her to help toast the occasion with a bottle of champagne and punnet of strawberries, and they had sat on the wooden floor of the empty apartment eating the fruit off each other's bodies, mainly without the use of their hands.

The second time had been the day after, when Keelin was busy working at the Clinic – Freya had come over to the building and let herself into the dwelling with a little use of magic to take care of the front door's locks. She had felt slightly uncomfortable sneaking about the place without her girlfriend knowing, but the fierce protective streak that was engrained deep within her had far outweighed the guilt. Using a strand of Keelin's hair, and a drop of her blood that eldest Mikaelson had procured whilst the wolf had been sleeping in her bed the night before, Freya had performed a generalised fortification spell on the apartment. Nothing too complicated, just one that would prevent the front door being forcibly opened against Keelin's will, with the added twist of it also alerting Freya should anyone attempt to.

She had known that casting the spell without Keelin knowing about it, was definitely treading a fine line with regards to the promise she had made to never direct a non-consensual spell upon the wolf again. However Freya had quickly come to the conclusion that since she was projecting her magic onto the apartment, and not actually upon Keelin herself - she would still be able to sleep at night without much guilt.

Now, as she slowly made her way over from the abodes entranceway to where Keelin stood, she was happy to find that she could still feel the spell in place and holding strong.

"So I see that you are dealing well with my request for a night to myself!"

Freya winced a little, and was about to start giving the wolf her pre-planned excuses, until she saw a smile begin to form at the corners of Keelin's mouth. It appeared that her lover wasn't too angry, at least.

"Keelin, I…."

"Honestly, I'm glad you came", the wolf quickly interposed before Freya could continue. "I was feeling bad about not speaking to you properly on the phone earlier, and I figured that with you being who you are, you would probably end up casting some sort of spell before the night was done, to see into my mind and get some answers yourself"

Freya's mouth immediately opened to protest the magical accusation, before she quickly realised that the wolf was joking - causing her to simply smile sheepishly at her lover instead.

"I missed you", was the only thing the witch could think to say in the moment.

Keelin smiled at her with an honest wide grin, lighting up her face with all of the beauty that had first en-captured Freya's attention all those weeks ago. The witch thought that she could also see a little relief shining through in the wolf's eyes.

"You're not mad at me?" Keelin asked in a low voice, her eyes dropping slightly from Freya's gaze.

"Mad at you? Why would I be mad at you?" the eldest Mikaelson asked, surprised girlfriend's question.

"You know, for going all wolf crazy on you this morning."

The brunettes voice broke, filling with emotion as she continued in a barely audible whisper

"For nearly attacking you!"

Keelin's eyes dropped even further to the ground, as the guilt of her morning actions threatened to overwhelm her completely. Freya could tell that she was in the process of fighting an internal battle of self-doubt and loathing, and it made the witch's heart reach out for the wolf as tears began to form in her eyes.

No longer able to bear the small distance that remained between them, Freya quickly closed the gap and engulfed her lover in a close embrace. Wrapping her arms tightly around the wolfs frame, she nestled her face into Keelin's neck and breathed in her girlfriend's sweet scent. As they both lent into the hug, Freya could feel that Keelin was shaking lightly.

Turning her head slightly so that her mouth was no longer muffled by the wolf's skin, she whispered softly into her ear.

"I could never be mad at you – I love you too much"

The witch heard the slight hitch in Keelin's breath as she reacted to the words. She gently pulled back from her girlfriend's embrace, and watery emerald green eyes met weeping brown ones in a tentative gaze.

The eldest Mikaelson hadn't planned on expressing the extent of her feelings out loud just yet - but right there, right then in that moment, the love that she felt for the Malraux wolf had been practically screaming in her head and heart to be let out. She would do anything for this girl, be anything that she needed her to be, and protect her with her own life if needed. There was no-where else in life that she wanted to be other than at the wolf's side.

Keelin seemed to sense the oath of heart that was being pledged in the witch's mind, and smiled as she softly cradled Freya's face in her hands.

"I love you too!"

The warm sensation running through Freya's heart suddenly spread, translating into butterflies in her stomach as she looked longingly at the wolf's plump lips, now only centimetres from her own.

She felt the energy between them shift, morphing from a soft warm tenderness into the initial smouldering flames of desire. Her eye's flickered up to Keelin's, and were met with irises that were slowly filling with a faint mystical yellow glow, causing the fire that had begun crawling up her thighs to flare with a fevered intensity.

"Kiss me…."

Keelin's words were thick with a longing that sent the witch's heartbeat into overdrive.

She gave in to the sexual hunger that was now ravaging its way through her body, forcing her lips upon Keelin's with a hot fevered breath. The wolf responded in kind, pulling her girlfriend's body tighter against her own as their tongues entered each other's mouths in a seductive dance of passion. The force that flowed between them was electrifying, causing Freya to instantly become drunk on a need to consummate it. Without breaking their kiss, the witch slowly pushed her girlfriend backwards towards the apartment's kitchen island counter-top, until she felt Keelin's waist make light contact.

The blonde was placing her hands on the back of her lover's thighs, ready to lift her onto the counter-top, when a slightly breathless Keelin suddenly pulled her lips away, and looked at the eldest Mikaleson with a fierce lust burning in yellow tinged eyes. With supernatural speed the wolf reversed their positions, spinning Freya around whilst simultaneously lifting the witch onto the marbled counter's surface in a sitting position.

Somewhere, in a small corner of Freya's mind that was not currently caught up in desire, she formed a thought marvelling at the sudden enhanced strength of her lover, who had lifted the witch as though she was lighter than a feather. However before she had time to turn the reflection into a solid observation, Keelin was upon her again, pulling the witch's legs apart and drawing them up to wrap around the wolf's waist. Her girlfriend lent in, crashing her lips back against Freya's mouth with renewed urgency, and the witch knew in that instant that she could quite possibly get lost forever in the sweet taste of her lovers tongue upon her own.

Keelin however clearly had other ideas.

The wolf pulled her mouth away again, and flashed the witch a quick roguish smile before placing a hand onto Freya's chest and pushing her down so that she was lying flat on the counter-top. At the same time, she felt Keelin pull herself effortlessly up onto the surface, and press her body down on top of hers, with supporting hands on either side of Freya's shoulders. The witch only just had time to register the wild animalistic intensity with which her lover's eyes were now burning with yellow and orange tones, before Keelin lowered her head and began kissing down Freya's neck, trailing a path swiftly down to the collar bone.

Freya let out a small gasp of exhilaration, as Keelin mercilessly ripped away the fabric of the witch's top, leaving her torso fully exposed except for her bra. Within a heartbeat, the wolf had also torn away the material covering Freya's breasts, exposing them to the air. Keelin's mouth was instantly on Freya's hardening left nipple, caressing it with her tongue and nipping at it lightly with her teeth. Freya arched her back slightly to meet her lovers fevered motion, as she felt herself rapidly falling into the oblivion of pure pleasure.

She had not experienced Keelin be this domineering or aggressive in her love making before, and she had to admit – the change was driving her crazy.

The wolf's attention left Freya's breast, as her mouth trailed down the blonde's stomach, tasting the pheromones that were being released by soft skin as she went. As her lover reached the top rim of her jeans, Freya felt the heat between her legs reach a fever pitch as the wolf tugged longingly with her teeth at the studs holding the fabric in place, whilst holding the witch's gaze.

Before Freya had time to react, Keelin extended her canine teeth and used the sharp razors to rip down the crotch of Freya's jeans. With a quick jerk of powerful hands, the remains of the fabric covering the blonde's legs were ripped away, leaving her naked beneath the wolf's body. Keelin leaned back, and Freya could see the brunette's sharp fangs retracting as she studied the witch's naked form with a smile that was full of intent.

"You're so beautiful, Freya", Keelin whispered in awe.

The witch was about to respond to her lover in kind, but before she could form the words on her lips, the wolf lowered herself between the blonde's legs, and glided her tongue gently up into her lovers dripping wet sex.

Freya threw back her head and let out a deep moan of pleasure, as her world rapidly exploded into intense waves of ecstasy.

 **2.**

Soft light from the early morning's rising sun was gently filtering into the quiet bedroom, as Freya slowly stirred from her dreamless sleep.

It took her a few seconds to gain her bearings as she lay on the bed facing away from her still slumbering partner, but she soon remembered that she was in Keelin's bedroom, and not her own back at the Mikaelson compound. Lifting her head slightly off the pillow, she surveyed her surroundings with sleep laden eyes, and immediately had to stifle the urge to laugh, so as not to wake the wolf next to her.

The room was a picture of destruction and chaos.

Shredded cotton sheets lay strew half on and half off the large king-size bed, leaving both her and Keelin's naked bodies mostly uncovered. The remains of the wolf's ripped and discarded t-shirt were dotted all across the room, with Freya spotting her girlfriend's laced white panties dangling off the corner of a broken wooden dresser. She grinned to herself as she recalled how that piece of furniture had come to be in its now shattered state, and made a mental note to go and buy the wolf some new fixtures later in the day.

The passion that they had shared through most of the night, had been well worth the material casualties of war that Freya could now see cluttered all across her lover's bedroom.

Keelin had been utterly wild and merciless in her pursuit of Freya's pleasure. It was a side to her girlfriend that she had never seen before, and it had taken all of her stamina and strength just to keep up with the wolf's insatiable appetite for her body.

They had of course shared a great passion in their love making before the previous evening, but it had been the fledgling sex that came when you were still getting to know your partners likes and dislikes. Trial and errors as they had been exploring each other's bodies, and discovering where their different pleasure zones resided.

But the intensity of Keelin's appetite for Freya's body during the early hours of that morning, had been so far off the scale that the blonde was now struggling to think of a word to do it justice. It was as though she had suddenly known every single area of the Freya's body that would elicit the most intense sensual reaction from the witch, and had honed in on them relentlessly.

And she had definitely lost count of the number of times that she had been brought to orgasm under the skilled touch or lick of Keelin's expertise. The witch had thought that she was actually going to have to call a time out on her lover as the morning had drawn closer, unsure of how much longer her stamina would withstand the onslaught of the wolfs appetite. However, whilst Freya had been holding Keelin's shuddering body close to her own after bringing her lover to have another orgasm herself, she had slowly felt the wolf begin to relax in her arms, and within moments had heard the soft sound of light snoring against her ear.

It was only seconds before she had quickly followed suit.

Unable to help the huge smile that was now stretching across her tired face, Freya gently eased herself up from Keelin's bed, and softly padded barefoot across the floor in the direction of the en-suite bathroom. Choosing to leave the light off in favour of not hurting her sleepy eyes, she walked over to the medicine cabinet above the rooms porcelain sink, and opened it in hunt of some toothpaste to freshen her breath with.

Just as she found the object of her search and reached out a hand to clasp the tube, she heard a quiet but sharp gasp come from the direction of the bathrooms entrance. Closing the cabinet, she turned her head and saw Keelin standing naked in the doorway, her face frozen in a look of shock.

Freya instinctively became alert, as she readied her magic in precaution for whatever danger might be transpiring.

"What is it?" she asked, moving to take a step closer to her girlfriend.

The witch looked the brunette in the eyes, but instead of the alarm or panic that she expected, Freya could only see upset and remorse settling into her lover's gaze.

"Keelin?"

"Freya…your back."

Confusion creased the witch's brow into a frown. She had no idea what the wolf was referring to, but she could see Keelin's eyes begin to roam up and down her naked back, as the look of horror began to intensify in them.

"Oh my god…I….I am so sorry Freya"

Still perplexed, she walked slowly over to the full-length mirror that was hanging on the opposite wall of the bathroom to the medicine cabinet, and twisted around so that she could inspect what her girlfriend was referring to.

She felt her mouth slowly drop open in reaction to the bloody sight that she was met with.

Criss-Crossed along the whole length of her slender back were several deep oozing gashes, that were beginning to crust over with dried blood. On further inspection, the witch could see that the pattern of the wounds made them look to be like claw marks, as though an animal had scraped its talons down her back at different intervals.

"Huh!"

It was all she could manage to say, as she tried to take in the blood-stained ruin of her posterior.

As she continued gawp at the sight, the pain associated with the injuries slowly started to make its way into her mind. Sharp burning sensations rippled up her spine, mixed with the feeling of intense tenderness in the tissue around the gashes themselves.

 _How had she not noticed the pain as soon as she had woken from her sleep?_

"Freya, we need to get you to a hospital"

Keelin's statement finally snapped the witch out of her stupor, and she slowly turned from the mirror to face the wolf.

 _My god, it hurt!_

"I'll be fine, its just a few cuts. Probably looks worse than it actually is."

She didn't know who she was trying to convince more, Keelin or herself. But even through the penetrating pain that was intensifying by the second, Freya could sense that her immediate concern needed to be the wolf. Keelin looked to be rapidly spiralling into a pit of self-loathing, as her eyes wildly roamed about the room.

"Keelin I'm ok honest. I'll get Klaus or Hayley to give me some of their blood when I get back to the Compound. It will be gone in minutes"

She made to walk towards her lover and grab her in an embrace, but she only managed a couple of steps before the pain in her back flared so intense that she cried out before she could stop herself - stumbling slightly in the process.

The sight of her girlfriend in pain jolted the wolf out of her dark thoughts, and she rushed to Freya's side, gently placing her arm around the witch's waist to help support her. Keelin started to walk the blonde slowly out of the bathroom, and over to the dishevelled bed, where she lowered the witch down to sit on the mattress. As Freya placed her hands either side of her legs to steady herself, she noticed that the sheet covering the mattress on the bed was stained with a large patch of blood, right where she must have been sleeping less than 20 minutes ago.

 _Again, how had she not seen it?_

"The wounds need cleaning, I'll go and get my medical kit". The wolfs voice was detached and distant, as thought she was trying to close off her emotions from the world.

"Keelin wait!"

Freya shot her arm out and grabbed her lovers hand as she was turning to leave the room – sending a new flare of searing white pain shooting up her spine. She tried her best to hide the discomfort, as she addressed her girlfriend.

"This is not your fault ok. We were both lost in the passion last night, I probably caused you some damage too considering how….."

"Freya don't!" Keelin flashed the witch a look full of hurt and warning. "Don't make out like I didn't lose control of the killer within me, and rip my girlfriend to shreds in the process!"

Tears began building in the brunette's eyes, and she turned her head away from the witch's gaze, seemingly unable to bear to look at her any longer.

"I'm going to go get some gauze and antiseptic, try not to move much until I get back."

She pulled her arm out of Freya's grip, and left the room in a hurry.

The witch sat on the bed slightly hunched over in pain, looking at the space that her lover had just left in her wake. She had never seen Keelin look so detached from the world before, and knew that the wolf must be putting herself through hell for what had happened.

 _What could she do to convince her girlfriend that it was all ok?_

Freya began playing the events from the night before back in her mind, trying to pinpoint the moment that her lover had marred her back. She could recall many an instance when she had seen Keelin's wolf eyes fully expressed and glowing with their mystical presence – in fact she had a hard time remembering actually seeing human brown irises at all, during their frenzied love making. Freya also remembered the menacing sight of the wolf's canine's extending, when Keelin had quickly relieved her of her clothes. And again later, as her lover had been in the throws of a particular intense of orgasm, she had noticed Keelin's fangs slowly descend, only to then quickly recede again within a few seconds.

But despite these displays of Keelin's inner wolf, Freya could not recall the brunette ever losing complete control of herself. Yes Keelin had been wilder than usual in her actions – but it had been nothing but an exhilarating display of passion to the witch, and she herself had gotten lost in the intense sexual hunger between them. It hadn't been Keelin who had broken the bedroom dresser after all!

 _Was it possible that she had been so lost in desire, that she hadn't felt the wolf shred the flesh on her back?_

Suddenly aware that Keelin had been gone for a while, Freya's concern for her lover grew in intensity. She decided to go and try to talk her into seeing that she was not to blame for what happened in throws of lust. She couldn't let the wolf spiral into a dark place, just because of a few scratches.

 _A few very painful, very deep scratches_

Pushing lightly with her hands, Freya attempted to lift herself off the bloodstained mattress and gain balance on her feet. In that instant, white hot flares of searing pain exploded across the whole of her back, and scorched agony into her head. She cried out as her legs gave way beneath her, causing her body to crumble onto the hard wood floor.

As she lay awkwardly on her front - unable to move due to the pain now feeling like it was now coursing through her whole being - she could feel vibrations of the floor against her cheek as hurried footsteps came rushing into the room.

"Freya!"

Keelin's voice suddenly seemed so far away, like she was calling quietly to her from across the other side of the apartment.

 _Hadn't she just run into the room though? Or had she imagined it?_

A new fresh wave of penetrating pain washed over the witch's body, causing all coherent thought to leave her mind. Darkness began to diffuse into the outer limits of her blurred vision, as unconsciousness began calling out to her to her in earnest.

 _If she could just perhaps have a little sleep, maybe it would help the pain go away. Just a few minutes until Keelin had managed to clean the wounds. Just…._

"Freya, can you hear me?"

…. _a few minutes._


	9. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

 **1.**

"ARRRRGH!"

She awoke in her host body hollering out into the darkness of the musty old church, its torso shooting up and arms flailing out as she tried to escape the clutches of the all too realistic dream that had held her against her will.

As the eyes of the figure she inhabited slowly adjusted to the gloomy surroundings, her thoughts ran wild with disbelief and anger at the events that had just transpired. The wretched young Mikaelson Witch had once again inexplicably manged to drag the spirit's soul into one of her sickly sweet dreams – and had for the third night in a row, succeeded in causing physical pain to her captives physique in the process. The spirit could feel sharp tendrils of pain spreading across the right side of the host's face, as the affects of the witch's magical strike took its toll.

Knowing that her followers would not be far, she called out into the shadowy annex of the derelict church, frustration encasing the baritone voice in a thick sheath of irritation.

"Get in here!"

Immediately five of her vile disciples ran into the papal's stale room, coming to a halt in front of her with their heads bowed low. The display of sub-ordinance would usually cause the Spirit to maliciously smile, happy in the knowledge of her complete dominance over these pathetic, miserable creatures. However on this occasion, the intense rage boiling up within her being prevented even this small respite from the recent week's vexations.

"Well don't just stand there like the useless sacks of flesh that you are – heal this body!"

A tall muscular male on the far right of the group rushed forward to her side, and immediately bit down on his left wrist with sharp vampiric fangs. As blood began to ooze out of the fresh wound, the man cowed his head once more whilst extending out his arm as an offer to the spirit.

Looking at the crimson viscous liquid as it began to drip down off the vampire's wrist and onto the floor, the Spirit snarled in disgust, causing the freshly wounded face of her host body to distort even further. She thought of it as such a barbaric means of restoration, drinking down the life force of a far inferior being to herself. But such was her current state of affairs – with her own power greatly diminished and still recovering, she had to rely on these creatures to provide her with the resources needed to survive day-to-day. Especially now that the small, but powerful Mikaelson witch was dealing out damage to her host's body in the dreams that they shared - on a near nightly basis.

 _It was becoming an increasingly hazardous annoyance that she desperately needed to put a stop to_.

As the spirit took hold of the extended wrist and placed lips around the fresh wound to drink down the blood, she immediately could feel the wounds her host body's face being to lessen in their intensity.

 _Crude as it was, she could not deny that the method was efficient in its purpose._

As the spirit finished drinking down the vampire's blood, she pushed its arm away from her in an eager bid to rid herself of the taste and smell of its flesh.

"Someone tell me that my plan is at least progressing well?" The host's voice was curt and harsh, reflecting her contempt for the beings that she addressed.

The human she knew as Jonathan took a small step forward, to address his deity.

"All observations point towards it developing as expected. We should be ready to execute the final phase on the evening of the jamboree, which is now being planned by the city council"

The Spirit nodded to herself impatiently.

"Yes, yes! And what of the executor?"

"In place, your worship. All will materialise as intended." Jonathan's voice was both flat and emotionless as he addressed the spirit.

 _It had better for all your sakes,_ she thought to herself.

The youngest Mikaelson witch needed to suffer for the damage she was causing to the recovery of the spirit's power.

 _And then the rest of that wretched family would soon follow suit._

 **2.**

 **"** Mummy, Mummy, wake up!"

Hayley was sharply dragged out of her peaceful slumber, by the sensation that an earthquake had gripped the Quarter in its clutches, and was currently rocking her bed's mattress violently up and down. It only took a few seconds however for the hybrid to realise that thankfully it wasn't Armageddon descending upon the city after all, but instead her young daughter Hope, engaging in the youngsters much loved morning ritual of bouncing on her mother's bed to wake her up.

Rubbing her eyes lightly, Hayley raised herself into a sitting position under her duvet and smiled at her energetic off-spring, who had finally stopped leaping up and down on the bed in favour of sitting impatiently, crossed legged, facing her mother.

"Well someone is full of the joys of spring this morning!"

"Can we have pancakes for breakfast please, Mummy? Pleeeeeease?"

Hayley laughed at her daughter's request, as she had asked for the same food every morning of the week so far. Pancakes were the witch's new favourite breakfast cuisine, after Klaus had taken the youngster out to sample what were well known to be the best pancakes in New Orleans, at Café Fleur de Lis. As the duo had returned home that same morning, Hope had run eagerly into the Compound to find her mother, and proceeded to talk to her non-stop about the experience for the rest of that day.

"Surely you must be sick of them by now?" Hayley asked the young witch whilst still laughing, knowing full well the type of response she would receive.

"Nope! I want them every day for the rest of my life!"

The Hybrid shook her head playfully, as she held her arms open wide to welcome her daughter into a morning cuddle. Hope quickly leapt out of her sitting position, and dived into her mother's loving arms – smiling contently as they wrapped protectively around her.

She was pleased to see her child full of happiness and glee this morning, it filling her with a motherly glow all of her own. Especially given that Hope had awoken so distressed and upset earlier in the night, seemingly having had another one of her now frequent nightmares. It had taken the Hybrid a good hour to finally calm her daughter enough for the girl to drop back off to sleep once more.

 _So much for the new night-light!_

"Well, I'll tell you what", she addressed her daughter as they sat cuddled together on her bed. "Why don't you go and pick out some clothes to wear for the day, whilst I go and prepare us some of my extra special, super-duper, fit for a princess pancakes!"

Hope quickly pulled out of her mother's embrace, and excitedly turned to face her.

"With extra syrup?"

"With extra, EXTRA syrup!" Hayley laughed again, as she replied.

"Yey!"

The smallest Mikaelson wasted no time in crawling to the edge of the hybrid's bed and energetically jumping down. Her feet had hardly hit the ground as she made a dart for the bedroom door, evidently eager to dress herself ready for her breakfast.

Hayley shouted out to her daughter, as she watched the young witch disappear out into the Compound's upper level hallway.

"And dress in something warm, honey – we're going to go and see your Grandma Mary today after breakfast!"

The hybrid heard the youngster shout out in glee at the news, as she disappeared into her own bedroom.

Hayley proceeded to climb out of bed herself, and was walking over to her wardrobe to pick out an outfit suitable for a trip to the Bayou, when she swiftly halted in her tracks.

 _Could she smell blood in the air?_

Suddenly her enhanced hearing caught sound of the double gated doors to the Compound's courtyard abruptly bursting open downstairs, both panels slamming into the concrete walls on either side of the entranceway. At the same time the smell of blood intensified in her nostrils, and recognition of the scent washed over the hybrid's enhanced senses.

 _Freya._

Hayley was already out of the bedroom and halfway down the abode's grand staircase by the time she heard Keelin's voice loudly projecting out into the Compound's grounds.

"Hayley? Klaus? I need your help!"

As she swiftly reached the bottom of the staircase, Hayley took a split second to process the details of the scene that she was met with.

The Malraux wolf was walking awkwardly into the courtyard's main living space, encumbered with what seemed to be an unconscious Freya cradled in her arms. Hayley could see that the source of the gore that she could smell was coming from steady drips of blood dropping onto the Compound's stone floor, seemingly originating from underneath Freya's still form.

Half a second more, and the hybrid was at Keelin's side.

"What's happened?" She asked the wolf in an even tone, trying to remain calm.

"It's her back! Please, she needs healing Hayley!"

Keelin bent her knees as she began to lower Freya onto the floor, to enable Hayley easier access to the unresponsive witch. The hybrid could see that blood was staining the sleeve of the top the wolf was wearing, from where Keelin's arm had been hooked under her girlfriends frame. She flicked her eyes over to Freya and noted that the light blue, oversized hoodie that the witch was draped in was also saturated in blood, pools of crimson red spreading out at various points where the top made contact with the eldest Mikaelson's back.

Keelin finished gently laying her girlfriend onto the stone floor, and then slowly pulled her arms away. As the wolf backed off slightly to give Hayley some room, she began talking rapidly to the hybrid in a succession of quick, short sentences - giving Hayley the impression that it must be how the doctor's often spoke in the emergency department where Keelin worked.

"She's lost a lot of blood. The gashes weren't bleeding too badly at first. But then she collapsed on the floor back at my apartment. The impact tore the wounds open further. I was going to take her to the Emergency Room. But then I didn't know how I'd explain…."

The hybrid glanced over at the wolf whilst using her sharp teeth to bite into her wrist. Keelin had trailed off mid-sentence and was knelt staring in dismay at Freya's unmoving form with teary eyes. Worry was clearly written all over her expression, but Hayley thought that she could see a hint of something else conveyed on the brunette's face as well.

 _Was it shame?_

Quickly returning her attention back to the matter in hand, the hybrid slipped her right hand gently under the unconscious witch's head and tilted it up slightly. She brought her bleeding left wrist up to Freya's face, and held it lightly against the blonde's parted lips, in an attempt to cause some of her blood to trickle into the witch's mouth. She heard the wolf across from her draw in a deep breath and hold it, as though the brunette was scared to let it go in-case it affected the outcome of what was happening.

"Breathe Keelin, she will be ok"

When she got no response from the wolf, Hayley continued to speak.

"What happened? Were you both attacked?"

Keelin flicked her eyes very briefly over to Hayley, before returning them back to Freya without an answer. Silence fell between them again, as they both waited upon the hybrid's blood taking affect.

Hayley's mind flitted to the conversation that she and Freya had been having just the night before, when the witch had returned home from her Bell Tower upset about not being able to get in touch with her other half. The blonde had described how Keelin had been unusually agitated, and how she had apparently lost control of her wolf instincts for a brief moment, before unexpectedly running off.

As the wolf had just mentioned that Freya had collapsed in her new apartment, Hayley quickly assumed that the eldest Mikaelson must have gone over to her girlfriend's place after speaking to her on the phone, just after the hybrid had left her room that evening.

The hazy beginnings of an understanding started to sweep through her mind.

"Keelin, has this anything to do with the reason why Freya couldn't get hold of you yesterday?"

She watched as the wolf's expression rapidly changed from one of troubled concern, to an obvious mixture of guilt and panic.

"I…"

Keelin abruptly halted what she was going to say, as both her and Hayley's attention was grabbed by Freya stirring slightly under the Hybrids bleeding wrist. The witch's eyes began to flutter under her closed lids, and Hayley could feel her finally begin to actively drink down the blood being offered, as opposed to it simply dripping into her mouth. Within a few seconds, Freya had raised her right arm and pulled Hayley's wrist closer to her lips.

"See, I told you…."

Hayley's sentence trailed off as she looked up and saw that Keelin had gotten to her feet and was slowly backing up towards the Compound's entrance. The tears that had previously been brimming in the wolf's eyes, were now flowing down her face freely.

"Keelin?"

The wolf's gaze didn't leave her girlfriends stirring form.

"Please tell her that I'm sorry," Keelin's words were rickety and full of emotion. "I'm so, so sorry".

"Keelin what…"

Before Hayley could finish her sentence, Keelin turned away from her and ran towards the compound gates. She briefly halted at the threshold, turning her head slightly as though she was about to address the Hybrid once more - but then must have thought better of it.

A second later, the wolf was gone.

 **3.**

Thousands of hot droplets rained down from an elevated metallic shower head, darkening the witch's hair and trickling down her back with a gentle caress. As the liquid beads quickly transitioned from her skin down onto the ceramic tiled floor of the wet-room, they gained a dark crimson red hue to them - making the pools of liquid that swirled around her feet resemble something closer to thinning blood, than discarded water.

Freya wearily rested her forehead against the slippery slates lining the wall of her bathroom, letting the soothing water that was cascading down upon her naked body, completely envelop her in its warm embrace. The mixture of dried and congealing blood that had been caking her back so completely was still not entirely cleansed away, despite her having now been in the shower for just over 20 minutes. However the gory mess was very slowly beginning to give way to a smooth, unmarred surface of peach coloured skin in its wake.

Hayley's hybrid blood had successfully worked its healing magic upon the witch's injuries, and soon there would be no trace of the gashes that had torn up her back less than a few hours ago –save that of her own deeply confused mind.

Earlier she had awoken back into the world of the living to find herself lay on the cold stone floor of her family's home courtyard, with Hayley cradling her head and looking concerned. The hybrid had helped her to sit up, and had answered Freya's initial confused questions as best as she was able with the very limited knowledge that she had.

The witch had managed to ascertain that, after she had passed out on Keelin's bedroom floor, her girlfriend had quickly thrown a top on her and then carried her over to the Mikaelson family compound, in search of one of the Mikaelson family members to provide their healing blood.

It was what had happened next that currently had the witch feeling confused and lost, as she stood letting the warm water of the shower wash away all the physical evidence of her former injuries.

According to Hayley, Keelin had abruptly left the compound as soon as she had seen that the witch was going to be ok. Just like that – no explanation or excuse provided. The wolf had just ran out into the street and disappeared off into the city.

She knew that what had happened during their love making was likely to have significantly upset the werewolf - especially given how much Keelin hated the curse that she had been born with. The wolf had spent her whole life trying to supress her true nature from the outside world, and trying to prevent events like the previous evenings slip from ever happening. And of course it will not have helped that Freya had collapsed and passed out from the injuries she had sustained – something that the witch was particularly angry at herself for. If she could have just held on to consciousness a little longer, to get back to the compound and have Hayley heal her without the need to increase the self-blame that Keelin had already been feeling – she might have been able to bring the wolf around to reason.

But Freya was still left at a loss as to why Keelin had just run away from her so abruptly.

 _Did the wolf think that little of her, to think that they couldn't talk it over? Did she trust the strength of the bond that they had so little? Hadn't they just confessed their love for one another – surely that meant something?_

Confusion swirled like a dense fog in her mind, as she tried to balance off the growing concern she felt for her lover, against the newly formed hurt that she felt for herself.

Turning the shower knobs to stop the water cascading down, Freya grabbed a large white fluffy towel off the heated rack and wrapped it around herself, as she stepped out of the wet-room into her bedroom. As she slowly made her way over to the king-size bed, her eyes automatically fell to the crumpled blood stained garment which she had discarded onto the wooden floor before stepping into the shower. The formally blue, oversized hoodie was one of Keelin's favourite tops to wear when she was relaxing or just generally wanting to "slob-out", as she had called it once to Freya who had been enquiring as to why the wolf cherished the old, well-worn garment so much. The hoodie had been around 3 sizes too big for Keelin's lean frame, and had more than its fair share of small holes that had worn through over the years – but Freya had still thought the wolf had looked unbelievably sexy and alluring when she had rocked up to the Bell Tower wearing it one morning, after she'd finished a shift at the clinic.

The witch had made short, quick work of relieving Keelin of the garment that morning, for a rather impulsive and passionate love making session on top of her spell apothecary table.

The memory of that morning now brought fresh tears to the witch's eyes, as she felt pangs of longing to be in her lover's warm embrace.

"I think it's safe to say that you probably owe her a new sweater!"

Freya jumped slightly at the sudden sound of Hayley's voice coming from the bedroom's doorway. Looking over, she saw that the hybrid was watching as she leant casually against the wooden doorframe, arms folded against her chest. The witch felt her cheeks blush slightly, knowing that this was the second time in as many days that her niece's mother had caught her with tears in her eyes.

 _Over Keelin._

"Are you ok?" the hybrid asked, her voice laced with concern for the eldest Mikaelson.

Freya sighed as she picked up the bloodied hoodie and threw it across the room into her open laundry basket – wondering how she could even begin to answer a question so loaded with connotations.

"I'm all healed thanks to you, if that's what you mean?"

 _She knew it wasn't._

"Not exactly", was all that Hayley replied with.

The witch ran her fingers through her wet hair as she sat down on the bed, trying to distract from the fact that a rogue tear had escaped her eye and was currently making its way down her cheek.

"I'm just confused." It was all she could muster, without risking opening a floodgate in her eyes. She refused to let the hybrid see her lose complete control of her emotions.

Hayley slowly pushed herself off the doorframe and walked a couple of steps into the room, before coming to a stop mid-way to Freya's bed.

"Can I ask what happened? "

From the tentative tone in the hybrid's voice, Freya could tell that Hayley had probably already made a pretty decent guess as to how she had come to sustain her injuries. She just hoped for the safety of her own modesty, that the version of events in the hybrid's mind weren't quite as explicit as what had actually occurred.

"She didn't attack me - if that's what you're thinking."

The hybrid remained quiet, waiting for her to continue.

"Honestly Hayley - I'm not entirely sure what happened."

Freya paused, at first not sure whether to continue - but then she figured it might actually help to clear her own confusion if she at least partly talked it over with someone else.

"I went round to her apartment and we talked briefly. I told her that I…..well the point is we talked. And then things got…passionate between us. "

Despite trying her best not to look the hybrid in the eyes whilst relaying the tale, Freya could see from the corner of her eye that Hayley was smiling at the information she had just relayed.

 _She doubted that she could feel any more awkward than she already did, so she might as well continue._

"Keelin seemed more….um….well in touch with her wolf nature than usual. Her eyes were full expressed for most of the night. But that's was the only difference I really noticed."

Freya purposely held back the added detail of Keelin ripping her clothes off with sharp wolf canines – there was only so much embarrassment that the witch was prepared to endure in one sitting.

"I guess that at some point in the night, whilst we were….…..well I figure she must have scratched down my back a few times." The witch could feel her face slowly turning from a soft pink blush into a brazen crimson red.

"Freya, the amount of blood I saw this morning - it had to be a little more serious than just a few scratches?"

The witch finally raised her head and looked the hybrid in the eyes.

 **"** I honestly didn't feel it happen, Hayley. But then when I saw my back this morning…."

Freya hesitated, afraid to admit out loud what was rumbling around in her mind.

 _Surely she would have noticed!_

"….well it was like a fully morphed wolf had raked its claws down my skin - several times."

The witch hung her head again, unable to look her nieces mother in the eyes any longer.

Hayley moved purposely over to the bed, and sat down next to Freya. The witch glanced over and could see that the hybrid looked pensive, as though trying to figure out the solution to an awkward, complex puzzle.

"And you definitely didn't see Keelin fully transform into her wolf form at any point?" the hybrid asked.

Freya shook her head.

"I mean I know we were….well, lost in the moment. But I think I would have noticed if my girlfriend suddenly grew a fury pelt and muzzle! Besides, she had her ring on the whole night. It prevents her from fully transitioning."

Freya could feel her frustration steadily growing. Her lack of understanding concerning the events that had unfolded the day before – first in the morning outside of the compound, and then later at Keelin's apartment – was starting to drive her methodical mind crazy. Everything had been fine the day before. Yes, she could admit that her and Keelin had not been getting to see that much of each other since the Hollow had been exorcised from Hope - which Freya guessed was mostly due to her own short comings.

But their relationship had been in a good place non-the-less, with the moments they did get to spend together always being jovial and full of a fiery lust for each other. In truth, the previous morning was the first time since they had first consummated their relationship that the two of them had met for a morning coffee after Keelin finished a shift, and not ended up in bed together. Had Freya not dismissed Keelin so easily when she had been relying her work tale about the wolf she had…..

"The wolf! Alanna!"

Hayley nearly jumped out of her skin, as she reacted to Freya's sudden exclamation breaking the silence that had fallen between the two contemplative women.

"Sorry?"

Freya quickly turned so that she was completely facing the hybrid, grabbing onto her towel as she did so as not to lose it. Her mind was suddenly running in overtime

"This all started the morning after Keelin treated that wolf, the one had been attacked. Alanna."

Hayley eyed her cautiously, and Freya could tell that the hybrid wasn't sure where this particular trail of thought was going.

"You said it yourself Hayley – you weren't aware of any new packs having migrated to New Orleans in recent months. But suddenly there is this random girl, a wolf, that turns up at Keelin's work place out of the blue."

"It was hardly out of the blue Freya – she was injured. The paramedics took her to St Theadora's – they could have easily taken her to one of the other Emergency Departments in the city."

"But they didn't. She went to Keelin's clinic, whilst Keelin was on shift!"

Hayley continued to look at her cautiously and frustration began to niggle at her as she struggled to convince the hybrid of her train of thought.

"It can't be a coincidence Hayley. Keelin was fine before that shift. And now she's going through…."

The witch trailed off as she realised she didn't have the answers to finish her sentence.

 _What exactly was Keelin going through?_

Hayley slowly raised herself off the bed, and started to make her way over to the bedroom's entrance as she spoke to the witch.

"I wouldn't go jumping to conclusions just yet Freya. From what you told me last night, it sounds like this Alanna was just a wolf who was in the wrong place at the wrong time."

Freya's frustration kicked up a notch, as she watched the hybrid reach the doorway and turn to face her again.

"But what if it's not co-incidence? What if she does have something to do with the reason why Keelin has been struggling to control her wolf impulses all of a sudden?"

Hayley raised her hand in a placated manner.

"Well I'm certainly not saying they are connected – but as it is, I'm taking Hope to visit Mary in the Bayou later this morning. Let me speak to her and see if has heard anything with regards to this Alanna or of a new pack taking up residence in the area. I can guarantee if there is something untoward occurring that is connected with wolves, Mary will have wind of it."

Freya nodded her head at the hybrid. She felt slightly mollified, but was still grateful that Hayley was going to look further into the matter for her.

Hayley turned to leave the witch's room, and then paused, looking back over her shoulder at Freya with suspicious, questioning eyes.

"What are you going to do whilst I'm gone?"

A short, humourless laugh escaped the witch as she stared back at her niece's mother.

"What I do best – head to the Bell-Tower and find a spell that will shed some light on this new wolf in town".


	10. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9.**

 **1.**

"And what brings you to our humble abode, Vincent?"

Klaus addressed the New Orleans witch, as he stood watching him slowly walk into the Compound's main courtyard. He had never liked the man, and of course knew that the feeling was more than mutual on the witch's behalf. His distaste of course did not, however, stop him from calling upon the witch's power and expertise from time to time. It would have been foolish of the Original hybrid to dismiss the raw magical power that was imbued within the thinly framed man, as well as the undeniable influence that he held over the New Orleans large witch population.

 _iAnd of course, he guessed that he owed the witch a small token of gratitude for being the one responsible for removing the Hollow's evil spirit out of his precious daughter, Hope. Even if the spell hadn't gone exactly to plan./i_

"Klaus!", Vincent replied in greeting, nodding his head slightly in the hybrid's direction as he came to a stop in the middle of the courtyard. "I have come to discuss the Quarter's upcoming Mardi Gras festivities with you and your family."

"And prey do tell Vincent, what is there to discuss?" Elijah's voice came gliding in to the room as he strolled into the Mikaleson family home from the gated entranceway. The elegant vampire looked every bit the revered gentleman in his pristinely pressed blue suit, with crisp white shirt worn underneath. To look at him, you would never have guessed that he and his brother had been out all of the evening before, downing whiskey shots in various bars along the length of Burbon Street – eventually stumbling home together way after the morning sun had risen to its early precipice in the sky. Such was the advantage of being an immortal.

Vincent turned his body around to acknowledge the vampire, before returning his address to Klaus.

"As you no doubt have heard by now, the other council members and I have decided to throw a street party for the people of the Quarter."

"Other members of the council?" questioned Elijah, as he came to stand next to Klaus, facing the New Orleans witch. "From what Marcellus told us, he knew nothing of this supposed Mardi Gras, until Josh relayed it to him yesterday morning."

Vincent looked to be mildly surprised by the information relayed by the Original vampire.

"Well, rest assured it had not been my intention to keep our good King Of New Orleans in the dark on this matter. I had simply bumped into Josh first, whilst I was on my way to speak with Marcel. I imparted the information to the boy instead, knowing that he would pass the information on, along with my regards."

"Yes well - be that as it may Vincent, it does seem that you have been avoiding both Marcel and my family since you successfully managed to rid my daughter of that pesky spirit creature." Klaus eyed the witch with added intensity. "Have we perhaps offended you in some way?"

Vincent laughed out loudly in a humourless manner, as he looked both of the Original vampires in the eyes one-by-one.

"Klaus, you and your family's mere existence offends me on a daily basis. I cannot abide the atrocities that you have inflicted onto the various communities here in New Orleans, and if I had my way you would be continuing your sorry existence far away from this city and all of its inhabitants."

The witch paused briefly as he let his words sink in.

"However, since Marcel has for some reason seen fit to allow you to remain in our midst for a while longer, I am forced to tolerate your presence despite my better judgement."

Klaus turned to his brother and slapped him on his suited shoulder with is left hand, as he addressed his sibling whilst laughing.

"Well I don't know about your brother, but I would say that our esteemed guest here certainly seems to be his usual charismatic and welcoming self. Wouldn't you?"

Elijah continued to eye the New Orleans witch with an air of suspicion, despite his brother's reassurances. The witch appeared to return his look in kind.

"So now that we have successfully established that you still hate us, and that we still hate you – please Vincent, do enlighten us with the reason for your current visit to my family home?" Klaus quipped.

Vincent's gaze lingered on Elijah for a few seconds more, before he slowly turned his head to face Klaus directly.

"I have come to tell you that neither you nor your family are welcome at the City's upcoming festivities that are being held in a few days time."

Klaus's posture immediately changed from that of a man amused by a troublesome child, to one of a predator who's family was suddenly being threatened by a rival. His voice deepened a level as he responded to the witch's comment, reflecting the abrupt change in mood.

"I do not think you are in any position to be telling me or my family where we can and can't go in our own city!" The Original hybrid gestured wildly around the compound as he spoke, emphasising his point.

"In case you have forgotten, Klaus, this city has never been, nor ever will be yours! You are quite simply put, a damned curse which inflicts itself upon…."

"Vincent, I would advise against aggravating my brother quite so intently whilst in our family home!"

All three men quickly turned their attention to the origin of the new voice coming from the Compound's entrance. There they could see the eldest Mikaelson, Freya, entering into the courtyard, with what appeared to be an old large Grimoire tucked under her right arm.

She smiled in the direction of her brothers as she came to a standstill slightly to their right, facing the New Orleans witch.

"Sister!" Klaus exclaimed, as his posture relaxed slightly. "How lovely to see you."

Freya ignored her brothers address, and instead spoke directly to Vincent.

"Tell me that you are not just here to antagonise my family, Vincent, and have instead come bearing good news about the whereabouts of the missing Hollow?" She looked intently at the witch, as he took in her appearance.

"I have my coven working on it day and night, I can assure you. Can the same be said of you, Freya?" The male witch cocked his head slightly and raised an eyebrow in the eldest Mikaelson's direction.

Klaus fully expected his sister to retort to Vincent in the usual fiery manner that she reserved for when her commitment to the protection of her family was questioned – only to be slightly surprised when he saw the blonde instead lower her gaze and begin chewing her bottom lip in an uncharacteristically guilty manner.

"Sister, is everything ok?" It was Elijah, apparently also perceiving the atypical response from his sibling.

Freya finished knawing on her lip and turned to face her siblings.

"Apologies brothers, I have just been a little distracted this morning with a personal matter. Keelin and I had a….disagreement of sorts earlier, and I am eager to try and reconcile the matter. If I only knew where she was, I could…."

"Your wolf friend was in Rousseau's", Vincent interjected as Freya was speaking to her brothers. "I saw her drinking in there less than twenty minutes ago, whilst I was putting up fliers for the upcoming festival."

Freya turned to look at the New Orleans witch, her mouth slightly ajar with surprise.

"Keelin is in Rousseau's, drinking? But it's only 2pm in the afternoon, why would she…."

The blonde's voice trailed off as she lowered her eyes, seemingly to becoming lost in troubled thoughts.

"From the way she and the girl that she was with were knocking back shots, I'd say that they were on a mission to be well and truly inebriated".

Freya's eyes suddenly shot up from the ground, to bore into Vincent's with fierce interest.

"She was with someone?"

"From what little I saw, yes. However I can't say that I made a point of taking down details. The only reason I noticed them at all was that they were being quite rowdy and loud. Josh didn't look too impressed at their lack of decorum in his bar." Vincent sighed and waved a hand in a dismissive manner, implying that he was tired of the direction their conversation had taken.

Freya looked away from the witch, and addressed Klaus and Elijah in a somewhat hurried manner.

"Brothers would you please excuse me, I have a matter to attend to."

"Yes of course", Klaus replied as he eyed his sister with curiosity. "Is everything ok?"

Freya was already halfway to the Compounds entranceway as she turned her head briefly in the hybrid's direction to respond.

"Just a personal concern Klaus, that is all." She was out of the gates before finishing her last word.

"Well!" Vincent tried to command back the attention of the two Original brothers, who were staring at the gates where Freya had just vacated. "I trust we can now get back to the matter at hand – that being your assured absence from the forthcoming festivities!"

Klaus flicked his gaze back to the New Orleans witch, and quickly pondered just how much trouble he would land himself in with Marcel, if he was to suddenly liberate the self-assured occultist of his righteous head.

 **2.**

The waters of the New Orleans Bayou were eerily calm as the early afternoons sun beat down upon the sodden and muddy expanse. Despite the light breeze that teased the air surrounding the marsh-land, no ripples could be seen riding the surface of the lake's great span, giving the atmosphere of the quagmire a certain "calm before the storm" quality. Clusters of mosquitos gathered at various points just above the waters skim, as they appeared to swarm around each other in a never ending frenzied dance of flight. And every now and then, a frog's elasticated tongue would flick up from a floating lily pad into the chaotic clouds of flies, in search of the amphibians next meal.

From her position sat on a wooden jetty protruding out some-way into the depths of the Bayou, Hayley had a good advantage point to see most of the marsh's main body of water splaying out in front of her. As she leant back on her wooden chair and stretched her arms out above her head in a relaxed manner, a smile crossed her face as she took in the familiar surroundings of the swamps rustic charm.

Despite the area's notorious reputation for people going missing, and for "random" animal attacks (as called by the city's ever damage-limiting council ) sustained by the odd stray tourist who dared to venture out into the wilderness when a full moon lit the evening sky – it was a place that held a special place in the Wolf Queen's heart.

 _iShe always felt like a piece of her was returning home, when visiting the Bayou. /i_

"What exactly have you city folks been feeding the wee tyke, growth serum?"

Mary's voice came rolling to her ears, as the old woman slowly made her way down the short timber built pier towards where Hayley was sat. In her left hand she carried an iced glass filled with what the hybrid guessed to be the elder's famous home-made lemonade. In her right was a freshly opened bottle of Budweiser – the sight of which actually made Hayley's mouth start to water a tiny bit. If there was one thing that the Bayou's stuffy heat was guaranteed to impart upon its infrequent visitors – it was a constant thirst for cool, refreshing liquid.

As the old woman reached the end of the jetty, and began lowering herself into the empty wooden chair across from Hayley, she held out the bottled beer for the Hybrid to take.

"I swear she has grown well over an inch since you last brought her to see me!"

Hayley easily picked up on the elder's small yet deliberate jibe aimed directly at the hybrid, as she took the bottle of beer from the woman. Not that she could blame the wolf for the obvious dig – it had indeed been well over a month since the she had last had an opportunity to bring Hope for a trip out to the Bayou to visit her Grandma. Which certainly hadn't been an intentional oversight – thing's had just gotten extremely complicated during the time when the Hollow was terrorising her daughter. All niceties such as family visits had been put on hold, whilst the Mikaelson clan had strived to rid their youngest member of the evil Spirit's grasp.

Of course Mary was not technically Hope's family – not in terms of blood anyway. The elder wolf was actually the Grandmother of Hayley's since deceased husband, Jackson. And as such was related to Hayley and Hope purely in terms of law, rather than that of genuine biology. But none-the-less, the Wolf Queen saw Mary as being the closest thing to an actual family member that she had left, and as such had raised Hope to see the woman as her natural Grandmother in every sense of the concept.

She knew that the day would eventually come when Hope would need to know about the true nature of Mary's relation to her, which would no doubt involve Hayley having to speak more in depth about Jackson - her lost husband. But the hybrid secretly hoped that that particular conversation was still some time off as of yet. Even 5 years down the line, she was still not fully healed over the pain and sorrow that his death had caused her, with the wounds still feeling far too fresh and unhealed to be revisited with any depth.

"She certainly is growing fast," the Hybrid confirmed as Mary settled back into her chair. "We are having trouble keeping her wardrobe stocked with clothes that fit her from one week to the next!"

The elder wolf let out a short cynical laugh at the comment, coupling it with a sceptical look towards her companion.

"Nonsense! I've seen how just much that Original hybrid spoils the girl – it wouldn't surprise me if he had half the city's seamstresses compelled to make her a fresh outfit for each new day!"

 _iYou have no idea how close that probably is to the truth, /i_ Hayley thought to herself.

"Well then she is lucky to have such a wise and worldly Grandmother to help keep her small feet solidly planted on the ground!". Hayley smiled warmly at the elder wolf, knowing that the woman would take her jibe in the kind fashion that it had been intended.

Behind them both, back on the mainland where the dirt and mud met the watery edge of the swamp, the two women could hear the childish laughter of the youngest Mikaelson drifting out from Mary's old wooden home, as she played with the toys that her Grandmother kept stored for such impromptu visits as today. The sound made both women smile warmly at each other, as they silently bonded over a shared love for the young owner of the infectious giggling.

"So!"

Mary's sudden exclamation caught Hayley off-guard, and she nearly choked on the swig of beer that she had just taken from the chilled bottle in her hand.

"Whilst I would love to believe that this has been purely a social visit, there has clearly been something more serious playing on your mind ever since you arrived. Are you going to make an old woman guess what it is that's troubling you – or are you going to spill the beans?"

Hayley laughed at the familiar bluntness with which the elder wolf spoke to her. It was one of the many endearing qualities that the hybrid missed about the woman – her ability to see through any bullshit that was being presented to her in a sugar coated wrapper.

"I can assure you Mary, our visit has been one purely built on the need for a little girl to see her Grandma."

The comment brought a warm smile to the elder wolf's face, even if her eyes portrayed that she did not fully believe the Hybrid's claim. Mary raised an eyebrow in an indication that she was waiting for Hayley to continue with what was really bothering her.

"But since you mention it, there is something that I wanted to run by you if that is ok?"

The older woman laughed, shaking her head slightly before taking a sip of her ice cold lemonade.

"Of course it is my dear – now spill!"

"Well, I was wondering if you have heard anything about a potential new wolf pack that has come into town recently?"

"If you are referring to the Neivera pack, then yes. In fact their pack leader, Hatch, came to see me on the morning that they first arrived in the Bayou."

"Really?" Hayley could not help the tiny bit of surprise that leaked into her voice.

"Yes, a genuine fella he seems too. Very polite and full of manners considering he is a wolf. He first came to ask my permission for his extended family to be able stay within our pack's boundaries for a few weeks, whilst they search for a more permanent residence here in New Orleans."

Hayley nodded her head gently as she processed the information.

"So what Alanna told Keelin is true then."

"Alanna?" Mary asked, clearly curious as to who the Hybrid was referring to.

Hayley quickly filled the elder wolf in on the recent events that had been transpiring with regards to the apparently random and vicious attack on a wolf called Alanna, and Keelin's subsequent treatment of the girl at St Theadora's Clinic.

"I can't say that Hatch has mentioned anything about an attack on one of his own in recent days, or the name Alanna for that matter – but it is not unusual for wolves to keep their own pack concerns amongst themselves."

"This Neivera pack – I've not heard of them before. They are not one of the original seven are they?"

"No", Mary confirmed. "Not many purebred members of the original seven are left living these days - as you well know from your recent quest to procure venom. Our kind has been ruthlessly hunted by vampires to the point of near extinction."

Mary's tone saddened with her last remark.

"Most of the werewolf groups that still endure are the result of the few remaining original pack members having crossbred and produced mixed heritage wolves. Those lucky enough to have then produced families of their own, have given themselves new pack-line names, in a bid to free themselves of the tyranny of callous vampires seeking to end our kind".

"And so the Neivera pack that has arrived in New Orleans is one of the new lines?" Hayley asked, curious whilst also slightly ashamed to have not previously known about this particular side of recent wolf history.

"Yes, it appears so. From what Hatch was telling me the other day, their family had been living just on the outskirts of Mystic Falls for quite a few years. That was until a group of Heretic's connected to the Salvatore brothers seized control of the town just over 5 years ago, and started ruthlessly killing humans and wolves alike. Hatch decided to uproot his pack to escape any further losses to their numbers, and they have been roaming from town-to-town in a nomad fashion ever since, never really setting down any permanent roots in fear of further persecution."

"So what in the world has made them want to take up residence here in New Orleans?" Hayley wondered. "Surely they must know that the vampire population here is even larger than that in Mystic Falls?"

"Yes I believe they do. Hatch has yet to inform me of his reasoning behind this particular choice of theirs. Though I have no doubt he will in his own time."

Hayley raised an eyebrow in the elder's direction, as she picked up on the fact that Mary must have met the head of the new pack on more than just the one occasion.

"And just how often have you seen this new wolf leader?" She tried to keep her voice level and monotone, but her question came out laced with amused curiosity non-the-less. If she didn't know better, she'd have said Mary smiled each time she spoke the male wolf's name.

"Just a handful of times. He check's in each time he and his family are passing by my cabin, on their way into the city for supplies."

Mary noticed the look of amusement in the hybrid's eyes, and pretended to scowl at Hayley as she continued.

"Now child, you can wipe that expression off your face. It has simply been nice to have the company of another wolf over the past few weeks. Since our own pack pretty much dispersed after Jackson…"

The elder checked herself suddenly, seeing the flash of hurt that quickly washed over Hayley's face.

"….well since most of them moved on anyway - it can get a little lonely for an old lady out here in the Bayou on her own. It has been a refreshing change to have another person to talk with other than myself!"

Hayley felt a fresh pang of guilt flare up within her belly - and made a mental note to try and get out to the Bayou more often to visit the older wolf. Living in the Compound with the Mikaelson family, it was easy to get all consumed within their world of constant drama and supernatural troubles, leaving little room for anything else.

 _iShe needed to try and make time for her other, wolf related commitments. /i_

"I'm sorry, Mary, I know that I haven't been around much as of late. What with Hope's possession, and then the subsequent nightmares that she has now started having…."

"Nightmares?" Mary's interest seemed to peak at Hayley's last statement. "What nightmares?"

"Ever since Vincent managed to pull the Hollow's spirit out of Hope, she has been waking up screaming in the middle of the night, panicked and scared over an apparent reoccurring nightmare that is plaguing her dreams."

"Has she said what the dream is about?" Mary leant forward in her chair, conveying her increased curiosity.

"No - every time Klaus or I try and coax her into telling us what the Nightmare involves, she closes up or quickly tries to change the subject. It's frustrating, but at the same time I have not wanted to push the matter too far with her, in case I cause her any further pain."

The elder wolf frowned as she appeared to consider the information that Hayley had provided, before she looked back up at the hybrid with a renewed expression of caution.

"Would you mind if I talked to her briefly about these nightmares?"

Hayley was a little surprised at the elder wolf's request, but at the same time could see no harm in letting Mary approach the subject with Hope. So long as she didn't push her daughter too far on the matter, it even might encourage the youngster to open up where she and the witch's father had so far been unsuccessful.

"Ok, but please try not to cause her any distress over them. It is bad enough having to see her so distraught in the evenings when she wakes up troubled from the nightmares. I don't want them plaguing her waking hours too."

Mary nodded in agreement, as Hayley turned to shout back towards the modest wooden cabin where her daughter was playing.

"Hope, can you come out here for a minute?"

It wasn't long before the youngest Mikaelson emerged from the elder wolf's home and began joyfully skipping down the wooden pier, towards her mother and grandmother. The young witch had dressed herself that morning in a frilly yellow dress which had a small white belt that wrapped itself around the garments middle - accompanied by dark green leggings and small black rubber wellingtons. When Hayley had questioned the practicality of her daughter wearing one of her "best" dresses to visit the muddy bayou, the youngest Mikaelson has simply replied "Well we can't let a little dirt get in the way of fashion!".

The hybrid had been far too amused by the girl's newly discovered sass beyond her years, to press the matter any further.

"What is it mummy?" Hope asked with a smile, as she came to a standstill in front of the two women.

"Your grandma Mary wanted to ask you something." Hayley said as she smiled back at her daughter, before nodding towards the elder wolf.

"Come here, cutie", Mary beckoned for Hope to sit on her knee, which the youngster proceeded to do with obvious glee radiating from her face.

It always warmed Hayley's heart when she witnessed these little shows of affection between her daughter and the elder wolf. The two had formed quite a strong bond back when Hayley had entrusted Mary to watch over Hope, whilst she herself had off been searching for the venom of the seven different wolf pack-lines. It was nice to see that their relationship hadn't suffered despite the diminished frequency with which they now got to see each other.

"So a little birdy tells me that you have been having some nasty dreams as of late? Is that true?"

Hayley watched in dismay as Hope's demeanour instantly changed from that of a carefree little girl, to looking like she suddenly had to carry the weight of the world on her small, fragile shoulders. She rapidly regretted agreeing to let Mary raise the subject with her daughter.

"Um, maybe"

It was the only response that the youngest Mikaelson gave, in a hushed, almost inaudible voice.

Undeterred by the witch's obvious reluctance to discuss the matter, Mary continued on in a deliberate carefree and nonchalant manner.

"Do you want to tell your Grandma Mary what has been happening in these dreams?"

Hope shook her head gently from side to side, her eyes now wearily fixed on the ground just to the side of Hayley's chair.

"Is it because you think that your mum and I wouldn't understand?"

This seemed to give the youngster food for thought, as she appeared to ponder the question posed by the elder wolf. Eventually she looked to have reached a conclusion in her mind, as she slowly nodded her head in agreement.

Mary looked over to Hayley briefly, before turning her attention to the witch sat on her lap.

"Well, what if I told you that your Grandma Mary might be able to understand a lot better than you first think?"

The witch turned her head slightly to the side, so that she could look the elder wolf in the eyes.

"What do you mean Grandma?"

Again Mary flicked her eyes momentarily over to Hayley, before continuing to address Hope.

"Well if you tell me about your bad dreams honey, then I might be able to understand better than you think."

The wolf paused briefly, before appearing to decide to continue.

"Because I too have been having a recurring nightmare, these past few days."

 **3.**

Keelin was drunk.

She knew this because the room had begun to spin slightly, despite how hard she was currently trying to focus on the empty shot glass sitting on the wooden bar in front of her. The edges of her vision were slowly becoming fuzzy, and when she thought about it seriously for a second, she realised that she could no longer feel the tip of her nose.

 _iHow weird is that/i,_ she thought to herself in amusement. i _Do we actually have feeling in our noses to start with? /i_

The wolf turned her head marginally to her right when she heard her drinking partner let out a loud snicker, only to recognise that it was she herself that had been the cause of amusement to the girl.

"What's so funny?"

Keelin's words came out slightly slurred, and the realisation that she could no longer form her sentences coherently set the wolf off into her own brief fit of giggles.

"You just wriggled your nose, like the witch out of that film. What was it called….oh, Bewitched! Yes, that was it - you went all nose wriggly like the witch in that".

The wolf laughed at the younger woman's comparison, although very little humour made it into the sound. The mention of the word "witch" brought all of the morning's troubles crashing back into the forefront of her mind, imposing a temporary sobering effect on her otherwise fuzzy head.

 _iAnd after she had spent so many hours trying to drink them away too! /i_

Her mind hazily wandered back to earlier in the day, and the events that had led to her now being sat at the bar in Rousseau's, about to order her…ii _11_ _th_ _, 12_ _th_ _, or was it 14_ _th_ _\- ahh who cared anyways/i_ ….drink of the afternoon.

Keelin had left the Mikaelson compound in such a blind hurry of tears and confusion, that the wolf had not really known where she had intended on going. She had just known that she needed to try and put as much distance as possible between her and the source of the overwhelming guilt that had been threatening to overcome her completely. She had foolishly thought that maybe if she could just outrun the pain, and outrun the shame of what had happened, then maybe she would be able to make herself believe that none of it had actually occurred in the first place.

 _iThat she hadn't nearly just killed her girlfriend. /i_

Of course, her foolish notion had turned out to be just that – reckless and idiotic. By the time the wolf had finished running and regained enough control of herself to stop and think in a more coherent manner, she had realised that she was once again lost. The one saving grace being that this time, she was at least still in the city. As she had been looking up and down the unfamiliar street upon which she had found herself, trying to determine whether to just continue running as fast as possible away from her troubles, or to hop on a bus back to the quarter and face up to her demons - she had felt a sudden light tap on her shoulder.

Instantly spinning around with the unnatural quick reflexes of a wolf, she had come face to face with Alanna, the girl whose life she had saved, on a morning which now seemed almost a lifetime ago.

"We have got to stop running into each other like this!" - had been the wolf's simple opening line, as Keelin had stood looking perplexed at the girl.

After first accusing the younger wolf of stalking her, and then insisting that the girl left her to be alone after Alanna had sworn that she was just shopping in the area with her family - Keelin had eventually broken down in the middle of the street, and uncontrollable tears had streamed down her face as she had sunk to the floor, sliding her back down a buildings brick wall.

She had no idea how long she had remained there in that state, sobbing freely into her hands as the guilt and anguish of losing such control of her inner wolf had washed over her wave after wave. The image of Freya lay unconscious on her bedroom floor with blood flowing from the appalling wounds that Keelin herself had caused, refused to leave her minds eye as it ruthlessly taunted her over and over. What had also made matters worse was that she had known that her emotions were once again spiralling out of control, the shame and hurt far more amplified than any normal human being would have endured – but she had been powerless to stop the tears that had come spiralling down her face. Her wolf nature appeared to no longer be tamed by the barrier of the Kyanite ring's magic, and her hormones had been raging at full effect.

Eventually as the tears flowing down her face had begun to abate and she had raised her head to the world once more, she had seen that Alanna was still stood in front of her, looking down with a certain curiosity in her eyes. The girl had helped to pull Keelin to her feet, and suggested that she could help the older wolf drown out her sorrows. It had taken the full length of the walk back to the Quarter for Alanna to wear her down, but eventually Keelin had agreed that a shot or two might help quiet the demons that had been raging around inside of her head.

And now here they were, several drinks down the line - propping up the bar in Rousseau's.

Keelin had not known if it was just because the younger woman was in the right place at the right time, or whether it was because she too was a wolf, and thus could relate on some level to the crazy emotional rollercoaster that the brunette was currently experiencing – but she had ended up telling Alanna everything that had happened over the past forty-eight hours.

When she had finished baring the full extent of her shame to her drinking companion, Keelin had half expected the girl to be aghast at the loss of control she was experiencing - despite the new comers own wolf heritage. However Alanna had simply shrugged her shoulders, quickly downed her shot of Bourbon, and ordered them both another round. It appeared that the issues currently troubling Keelin deeply, were seen as common within the younger wolf's own pack, and there had been nothing in the brunette's tale that had surprised or even shocked Alanna. As the girl had put it – "You're a wolf, it's expected!"

As their early afternoon drinking session in Rousseau's had progressed, the younger wolf had openly revealed more information to Keelin about life in her pack, and their recent move to New Orleans. The brunette had felt a certain sense of familiarity as Alanna had described her active role within the small but well organised pack – a sensation of which she had not experienced since the day her own family had been brutally taken from her. As the younger wolf had spoken of her family pack with a passion and flare reserved for that of a wolf enslaved to their heightened hormones, Keelin had begun to experience something that she couldn't quite put her finger on at first – its presence so long since forgotten that it now felt alien to her mind. It had taken a couple more shots before the wolf had finally been able to associate a word to the feeling that had been steadily building up within her over the few hours that she had spent in Alanna's company.

 _iBelonging. /i_

Keelin had spent so much of her adult life trying to supress the violent and unpredictable werewolf traits which she had been born with - first with the medical serum that she had manufactured herself, and then subsequently via the Kyanite ring that Freya had given her – that she had forgotten that there were a few positive aspects of the supernatural nature within her. Speaking with Alanna was rapidly reminding her of the one aspect of wolf life that she had actually revered all those years ago, instead of loathed.

 _iThe comforting sense of loyalty that came from belonging to a pack. /i_

"I think that you two have probably had enough!"

Josh's voice cut into Keelin's hazy thoughts, as she sat staring at the empty shot glass gripped in her right hand. She raised her eyes sluggishly and tried to focus her vision so as to make the two bar manager images floating in front of her, merge into just the one.

"Hey fella, we're just getting started!" Alanna exclaimed at the top of her voice, directed at Josh. "My friend here has had a "wruff" morning, and we plan on turning her frown upside down!"

The younger wolf laughed, and slapped Keelin on the back of her shoulder.

"Get it?…Wruff!"

Alanna burst into a fit of giggles at her own play on words, causing Keelin to smile a little despite herself. The girl had such a carefree attitude towards almost everything, and it was becoming an infectious aura to be around.

"Well from the look of you both, I'd say you were one drink short of collapsing on my freshly mopped floor, and I refuse to have to deal with that on a Thursday afternoon! Besides, you have now smashed a total of 4 of my shot glasses from slamming them down on the bar. It's time to call it a day ladies."

Keelin scanned her eyes over the wooden bar top that she had her elbows lent upon, and saw the remains of small glass shards that had been missed when the bar manager had used his cloth to wipe away the shattered tumbler pieces scattered along its length. Around the sixth, or seventh shot – she forgets which it was – the two wolves had ordered a further 3 drinks each, and had a small wager on who could down them the fastest, using their enhanced supernatural speed. Keelin had metaphorically wiped the floor with her companion, finishing her last drink before the other woman had even lifted her second. Unfortunately however there had been collateral damage in the form of shattered shot glasses as the two wolves had slammed them down at high speed in a bid to get to the next drink quicker.

Keelin had apologised to Josh at the time, who had come over quickly to first check that they were both ok, and then to clean up the mess as he had shook his head in a disapproving manner.

Now however, as she watched her companion stifle down another fit of giggles whilst looking at the stern image the bar manager was trying to portray - she found herself thinking it was all rather amusing.

Alanna's laughing came to an end, as Keelin watched her demeanour suddenly take on a far more sinister edge to it.

"Hey mister, you should be careful as to who you try and push around! Wouldn't want your nice fancy bar to get a trashing now would you!"

Josh looked visibly taken back by the abrupt change in attitude of the younger wolf, and confusion began to creep across his face. His eyes flitted over to Keelin, in an obvious bid to gain some support from the wolf in trying to help calm her drinking partner down.

She didn't know if it was the alcohol's potency now taking full affect, or just the sheer weariness that was threatening to overcome her thanks to the earlier morning's drama – but she really couldn't find it within herself to care about the bar managers petty concerns. In fact, the way he was now looking at the two of them, as though they were an annoying smear on his otherwise perfect little day, was beginning to stir the beginnings of an angry sphere deep within her.

Him - a repulsive creature of the night that had to feed on human blood to survive. Him – just another example of the numerous abhorrent vampires that the city of New Orleans was plagued with on a daily basis, walking about the Quarter as though they owned the place. Him – one of the callous bloodsuckers who were the cause of many an innocent victim being wheeled through St Theodora's doors on a nightly basis with their throats ripped out and blood drained from their bodies.

 _iHim! Who exactly did he think he was to judge them? /i_

Seeing that he was getting no response from Keelin other than a look which seemed to be growing in distaste by the second, Josh turned back to Alanna to address her once more.

"Look, I'm not after any trouble ladies, and I am certainly not trying to push you around." His eyes flicked between the two wolves quickly, as his hands went up in a pacifying manner. "I just can't serve you any more drinks I'm afraid. The two of you can hardly sit upright on your stools anymore!"

Alanna suddenly pushed herself up off the barstool that she had been attempting to balance upon – causing the piece of furniture to shoot back across the bar's. It came clattering to a halt, upturned and on its side next to a unsuspecting patron sat talking with his companion, across the far side of the bar. The man looked surprised as he first eyed the upended stool, and then led his gaze over to the bar where a commotion was clearly beginning to break out.

"I don't need to be able to sit straight on a chair to know when I'm being harassed by vampire scum!"

The last couple of words came out of Alanna's mouth laced with spittle, as she pointed a shaking finger towards Josh's shocked face. The young woman quickly flashed the bar manager a glimpse of her rich amber wolf eye's, in an apparent attempt to add emphasis to her distaste for his breed.

"Ok, I'm sorry but that's it. You ladies need to leave, now!"

Keelin watched as Josh motioned with his head over to a couple of burly looking men, who were sat hunched at the far end of the bar. The two rose from their stools and began to make their way over to the two women in response to the bar manager's signal, and the brunette could tell from their distinct unpleasant fragrance that they shared the same deplorable diet as the bar owner.

 _iMore vampires! /i_

She could feel the small ball of anger that had been simmering deep inside of her begin to spread its heat throughout her chest, its enraging tendrils rippling along her veins and into her muscles.

 _iVampires. Always trying to tell wolves what they can and can't do. Always trying to push her kind around as though they owned them. Always…./i_

The nearest of the two muscle clad men reached his hand out and grabbed Alanna's slim upper arm, attempting to pull her away from the bar and towards the buildings exit. The young wolf's instincts kicked as she immediately reacted, throwing up her free arm and pitching all her might into pushing the robust vampire away from her with a closed fist. Despite the obvious height and weight difference, Alanna's enhanced wolf strength packed quite the punch, sending the man reeling backwards as he lost his grip on the girl's arm. He stumbled back several paces, before regaining his balance as his face contorted and blood seeped into his eyes, giving them the ominous appearance of a ruthless killer.

As he brushed down his crumpled shirt, the vampire locked his eyes onto the younger wolf and flashed his extended sharp teeth towards her in a vicious snarl.

"Hey now - there's no need for violence! If you two ladies could just allow the boys to show you out…"

Josh's plea fell on death ears as the now fully transformed vampire started to slowly make his way back over to Alanna, violent intent clearly written across his distorted face.

Keelin's rage abruptly engulfed her, completely washing over her whole mind and body. Her eyes irises briskly bled from a deep chestnut brown into a viciously vivid amber and orange mix, as her canine teeth rapidly protruded themselves out of her gums. A primitive warning growl emitted from somewhere deep within her throat, as she matched the muscular vampires snarl, razor sharp tooth for razor sharp tooth.

The second burly man to Alanna's right suddenly rushed forward, grabbing the younger wolf into a tight body lock as he fully wrapped his powerful arms around her frame, pinning her arms down by her side. The girl let out a small yelp as she tried to struggle out of the mans hold upon her, her legs kicking out into the space in front of her.

Keelin reacted in a blur of motion, twisting her body round so that she was quickly facing her companion. Her hand shot out and grabbed a hold of the vampires left arm that was flexed taught as he struggled to keep his hold on the smaller wolf. With a quick flick of her wrist, she twisted the man's lower arm out and back - a sickening crack filling the air as the vampire's arm broke at the elbow joint. Before he even had time to react to the pain that flashed in searing heat through his arm, Alanna threw her now free arm up and behind her, delivering a swift elbow to the unsuspecting fellow's nose. A loud crunching noise confirmed that the man's nose was now as broken as his arm.

Keelin felt a hand grab at the top of her arm from behind, as the first vampire reached his target and gripped painfully with his hand into her flesh. Impulsively, she opened her fang riddled mouth and whipped her head around, burying her teeth deep into her assailants wrist. As the man's blood spurted out of his torn artery and into her mouth, she heard his cry of pain filtering through somewhere in the back of her mind. It did not matter though – all that mattered was the kill.

Pushing the vampire's bleeding wrist away from her, Keelin's eyes focused onto the area of bare flesh between the man's head and collar bone and made to thrust her canine's towards his neck. Just as her teeth were about to make contact with their intended target, she felt a pair of arms crash around her frame. She was quickly jerked away from the bleeding vampire, causing both her and the body suddenly pressed up against her to stumble backwards.

The rage coursing through her being kicked up a notch, as she deftly twisted around in her captor's arms, and sunk her fangs down into the perpetrator's shoulder, eliciting a sharp yell of pain from her victim. As the arms that had been around her fell away, Keelin ripped her teeth out of the bleeding flesh and took a few quick steps backwards to crouch down into an attack stance. She quickly prepared herself to pounce upon the vampire who's shoulder she had just shredded apart. A second passed and she tensed the muscles in her legs ready launch herself at….

"Keelin, stop!"

The commanding declaration came rushing into her ears from somewhere over to her left. The growling wolf wrenched her head around in the direction of the voice's owner, baring her blood stained canines in a vicious snarl, so as to warn off the new arrival whilst she still had the vampires to finish off. Scent molecules rushing through the air told her that the newcomer was a female human, not a blood sucker. Not a threat.

She whipped her head back around and pushed herself forward with fangs bared, her intended target being the now stumbling vampire's neck. She grabbed his shoulders and pulled his frame quickly towards her waiting mouth, extending her jaw wider so as to….

Suddenly Keelin felt the wind knocked completely out of her, as she was abruptly thrown backwards, away from the vampire who's neck she had been millimetres off piercing. Pain sharply shot up through her elbows and tail bone as she connected with the floor, skidding backwards along the wooden boards for a meter or so, before coming to an abrupt stop up against a table's metal post. She quickly tried to push herself up, ignoring the white-hot throbbing that flashed up her arms as she applied pressure on her hands.

But she couldn't move. Something was holding her down.

"Keelin please, listen to me. You need to calm down."

It was the newcomers voice again, this time closer as the figure slowly walked over from the bars entrance towards the wolfs felled form on the ground. She let out a loud growl, as the feeling of threat intensified within her being. She was totally helpless, held completely in place by an invisible force.

"Please baby, just listen to my voice."

The female's tone was suddenly less commanding, distinct concern lacing its way into the shaky request issued by the woman, who was now only a few feet away from the wolf and crouching down so that their eyes were level with each other.

Keelin's amber irises focused onto the new threats gaze, and…..and a small human thought made its way into her primal driven wolf brain. Quite at first, but then getting louder so as to be heard over her own growling noise.

 _iI know those green eyes looking at me./i_

As though she could sense the dimiutive human thought trying to take route in the wolf's mind, the female human came to a halt just a foot away from Keelin, and reached out her hand as though in an offering to the brunette.

"Come on Keelin, I know you recognise me. Please."

The woman's voice broke on the last word, emotion spilling over into the pleading word.

It was enough. The rage flowing through Keelin's body began to dissipate, as her thoughts slowly turned from those of an instinctual predator back into coherent human emotions. Her vision softened and the world around her gradually came back into the yielding focus of dark brown eyes.

Crouched in front of her was Freya, looking extremely concerned and worried at the wolf - but with a hint of focus gleaming in her large green eyes, indicating that she was still managing to concentrate on a spell despite her obvious alarm.

Keelin's eyes fell to the floor, as realisation of her situation hit home.

"You can let go, I'm in control". Her words came out in barely a whisper, as she panted lightly out of breath.

She felt the pressure that had been holding her in place dissipate, as her body and limbs once again became her own to move. However regardless of the new freedom, she didn't move a muscle.

"Keelin honey, talk to me. What happened?"

Freya's voice crashed down onto her emotions like _waves_ _exploding onto a rocky shore. The thick taste of coppery blood lingered in her mouth, as she fought to find words for her expecting girlfriend. How could she ever look the witch in the eyes again after she had seen her in this state. After what she had done._

 _iHow could she ever look at herself again /i_


	11. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10.**

 **1.**

Relative calm had returned to Rousseau's by the time Freya returned to the venue, an hour after she had first entered and seen Keelin about to tear into Josh's neck with her canines.

As she pushed through the bar's double door entrance, she saw that the few human customers who had been present during the bloody fight, had now all left – no doubt compelled to forget the whole incident by one of Marcel's many vampires that were now roaming around the joint. She cast her eye's quickly around the room, noticing that whilst most of the blood that had been spilt during the altercation had now been cleaned away, there was still the odd splash here or there, where projectile spray from a torn artery had travelled waywardly across the bar. The witch briefly halted in her advance, as the memory of Keelin's wolf distorted face covered in vampire blood, freshly assaulted her mind.

 _She had looked so wild and feral._

"Hey, over here!"

Her focus returned to the moment, as she heard one of Marcel's men shout over to her from the other side of the bar. As she looked over in his direction, she could see that he and a few other vampires were stood next to one of the venue's many tables, next to which was a chair that was currently occupied by a very ashen looking Josh.

Sighing, she turned and started making her way slowly over to the group, all of whom watched her approach with caution clearly evident in their eyes. One of the larger brutes that she could see in the troupe of undead, pushed his way forward and positioned himself in front of the seated Josh, blocking her vision of the injured bar manager.

"That's close enough witch!"

She laughed incredulously at the ridiculous display of machoism that the vampire was portraying.

"You do know that I could send all of you flying with one flick of my wrist, right?" Freya raised her hand slightly at her side, just far enough to emphasise the point.

Her taunt was of course unnecessary - she wasn't here to actually fight anyone. But it still made her feel slightly better when both the brute in front of her, and his surrounding fellows, all visibly paled as they acknowledged the presence her obvious power.

"Guys, just let her through already." Josh's weak voice only just made it around the large man currently in front of him, to reach her ears. Its frailty told her that the vampire had weakened even further since she has last seen him an hour ago.

Snarling slightly at the witch with clear contempt, the vampire who had squared up to her slowly stepped to the side, allowing her once more to see the reason for her return to the bar.

Josh looked awful.

Matted dried and fresh blood were congealing all around the large open wound, that loudly shouted its presence from his wilting shoulder. Spreading out like wildfire from the centre of the torn flesh, were protruding veins and arteries under the vampire's skin which had taken on a dark, almost black colour in appearance – signifying that the wolf venom administered by Keelin as she had bitten down into the bar managers skin, was already extending its grip on his body. The witch moved her eyes from the gory mess that used to be the man's shoulder, over to his face, where she was met with eyes that were brimming full of pain.

"I know I know, I've looked better right?!" Josh's weak voice came out as he winced from the effort of trying to move his shoulder as he spoke. "You should have seen the other guy!"

The bar manager attempted a brief laugh, before realising that his endeavour at a joke had definitely been in bad taste, considering "the other guy" was actually the girlfriend of the powerful, and slightly pissed-off looking witch, currently standing in front of him.

"Sorry, humour is my coping mechanism." He smiled briefly towards the blonde, before pain resumed its residence upon his face.

"Well, did you bring it?" One of the vampires stood to Josh's left impatiently questioned as he continued to eye the witch with vigilance.

Ignoring the man's address, Freya shook her head slightly at Josh, before reaching inside of her leather jacket with her right hand. From a concealed pocket inside of the coats lining, she pulled out two small vials of red liquid. From the way that the substance within the tubes clung to the sides leaving a transparent red smear on the glass, it was clear for all to see that it was blood contained within them.

"Here", the witch said as she held one vial out to Josh, and the other out towards the nearest vampire stood to the bar manager's right. "Two doses as promised. One for you, and one for the other jerk who got his wrist bitten. Not that I know why I'm bothering."

"Hey, it was your dog that attacked us bitch! Not the other way around!" It was the vampire who had initially blocked her way as she had entered.

Freya quickly cast codeming eyes over to him without moving her head, and raised her right hand up as she readied her magic. The air around them suddenly filled with a palpable static energy, which made the hairs on the necks of all those present quickly stand up on end.

"Call her that again, and it will be the last thing that you ever do!"

"Hey ok, ok! Come on guys lets all calm down", pleaded Josh as he finished drinking down the contents of the vial which Freya had handed to him. "There has been enough violence in here for one day!"

Freya let her eyes linger on the obnoxious vampire for a few seconds longer, before slowly lowering her hand and returning her attention back to Josh. Even though he had only just consumed the blood she had given him, the colour in his face was already visibly improving by the second. She estimated that in a good half hours-time, he would probably be as good as new, with only his pride left dented from the altercation with her girlfriend.

Josh closed his eyes briefly and drew in a deep breath, seemingly relishing in the fact that the pain from his wound was beginning to diminish. As he opened them again, he slowly righted himself in chair which he had been slumped upon, taking a more controlled hold on his posture.

"I guess I have Klaus to thank for supplying his blood?"

Freya could tell from the tone of his voice that the bar manager did not relish the idea of being in debt to her hybrid brother.

"Well yes, but he doesn't know about this little gift I have bestowed upon you – and I'd like to keep it that way!" She emphasised her point with a sharp look into Josh's eyes, as he regarded her in a confused manner.

"So, what, you just waltzed in and demanded some of his blood – no questions asked?"

"I don't think how you have come to be in possession of my brother's blood is your concern right now, Josh", the witch exclaimed as she glanced around the bar.

In truth, not only did Klaus not know about the samples of blood that she had just given Josh and his vampire companion – but he also knew nothing about the 6 other vials of his hybrid blood that the witch still had frozen, back in the safety of the Bell-Tower. She doubted he would be best pleased if he ever found out either.

When she and Keelin had first started dating, and the Hollow had been terrorising her family on a daily basis, the witch had been forced to face a few unpleasant possibilities relating to her newly formed relationship. The evil spirit was capable of getting into any of her family's mind's – including Keelin's – and showing them a whole host of horrors in an attempt to either control their actions, or break their will. She had experienced the latter herself first hand, when the Hollow had tried to crush Freya's spirit with visions of Keelin lying mutilated and dead – the inevitable result of the wolf falling in love with a Mikaelson. Those apparitions conjured into her mind by the Hollow - of her girlfriend lying deceased on the ground with her throat viciously torn out - had had more of a lasting affect on the witch than she had admitted to either her family, or even to Keelin. For many evenings after that day, she had dreamt of the scenario over and over again, its taunting possibility ripping mercilessly at her insides.

But Keelin's death wasn't the only vision that the Hollow had planted in her head on that fateful day. The spirit had also forced her to visualise another "possibility" that could arise should she continue her relationship with the wolf.

The prospect of the Hollow taking over Keelin's mind and forcing her to do it's will.

She had been made to witness a scene play out in which her girlfriend had mercilessly attacked members of the Mikaelson family in their sleep, biting into not only Hope and Hayley as they had lay slumbering on the young witch's bed, but also ripping onto the flesh of her vampire sister Rebekah too - thus infecting her with wolf venom.

Freya had known that the likely hood of the Hollows twisted vision of Keelin attempting to kill her family was one that was unlikely to come true – but it had shaken her none the less. So much so, that the next evening, as her hybrid brother had lay in his bed asleep, she had crept into his room and extracted some of his blood painlessly with the aid of a little magic. She knew that the likelihood of Klaus not being available should one of her other siblings be bitten by a wolf was extremely slim – but if there was one thing that Freya prided herself upon, it was being meticulously efficient at protecting her family. Even if that meant having all of the unlikeliest of possibilities covered.

And now as it turned out, she had needed to use some of that stockpiled blood a lot sooner than even she had anticipated!

She could have of course just gone to Klaus himself, and asked for his blood to aid Josh. Marcel's favourite vampire wasn't exactly a friend of the family, but his death would have had the potential to cause major ripples in the delicate truce that the Mikaelson's currently held with the King of New Orleans. Freya believed that even Klaus with his short temper and fiery disposition would have recognised the need to keep the peace by aiding the poisoned vampire.

But asking Klaus for his blood would have meant having to explain to the hybrid why it was needed in the first place. It would have meant having to tell him about Keelin's attack.

 _And she just wasn't prepared to go down that road right now. Not when she was still so mixed up over it all herself._

"Right, well fine then. I'll guess I'll give my thanks to you instead."

Freya looked down at the bar manager with hardening eyes.

"I don't want your thanks Josh. What I want is an explanation as to what happened here!"

The witch watched as Josh quickly tried his best to find an answer that wouldn't anger her any further.

"Why was my girlfriend set upon by three vampires – one of those being yourself - whilst she was in here drinking? And I want the truth Josh, because so help me god if I think that you are lying to me, a little wolf bite will be the least of your worries!"

"Ok ok, no need for the dramatics!" The bar manager raised himself to his feet, and tenuously flexed his shoulder muscles as he tested to see how the healing was coming along. "Always with the death and destruction you Mikalesons"

He started to walk over to the bar, his mission seemingly being to poor himself a drink. As he passed the gathered crowd of Marcel's vampires, he waved a hand towards them in a dismissive manner – causing the men to slowly begin to dissipate out of the venue. Turning his head back to Freya who remained rooted in the same spot as she watched the vampire with suspicion, he raised an eye brow in her direction.

"Drink? I'm guessing you could use one?"

Freya sighed impatiently, and took a few steps in the bar managers direction.

"I just want answers Josh, I'm not here for anything else other than the truth."

"Okay, I hear you. Jeez!". The vampire leant over the bar and grabbed a bottle of what looked to be bourbon, and a single shot glass. He started pouring himself a drink on the counter top as he continued to speak to the witch. "Your girl came in here with her younger friend around midday. And I've got to say, she wasn't exactly looking in her happy place when they got here."

Freya lowered her gaze slightly, as she listened to the mans words. She had tried to get some details as to what had happened out of Keelin, as she had taken the wolf back with her to the Bell Tower so that she could grab some of Klaus's blood for the bitten vampires. But her girlfriend had remained mostly silent the whole time they had been together, only breaking her silence once to express her despair regarding her actions. Freya had been worried that the wolf was completely withdrawing into herself, and had not liked leaving her behind - sat on the towers simple cot bed rocking gently to herself, apparently lost in her own thoughts. But she had promised Josh that she would return as quickly as she could with blood to stop the werewolf venom from spreading in his system - and in truth the last thing she had wanted was his death hanging over her girlfriend's head. The wolf clearly had enough going on as it was.

"They seemed fine at first, drinking and chatting like any other patron that comes through our doors. But the drunker they became, the rowdier their attitudes turned. Like typical violent wolves really when they get too much alcohol in their system, letting their hormones overrun them."

"Careful Josh", Freya said in a low, warning tone. "That's my girl you're talking about."

The bar manager raised his hands apologetically as he continued.

"Hey I'm just telling you exactly how it was – you said you wanted the truth!"

The witch wearily eyed the vampire for a second, before eventually sighing and nodding for him to continue.

"So anyway, like I was saying, they started to become steadily unrulier as the afternoon went on. Eventually I had to make the decision to cut them off – if they had any more alcohol, I figured it could turn nasty in here."

"From the bloodied mess that I walked into Josh, I'd say that it turned nasty regardless!"

The bar manager let out a short, nervous laugh as he proceeded to down the shot that he had just poured.

"Yes, I guess it did." He paused and Freya could tell that the vampire was waying-up in his head how the next bit of information he was going to provide would affect the witch.

"When I approached them both and said that they needed to call it a day, your girlfriend's companion suddenly became quite confrontational, making out like I was trying to order them around or something. And to be honest, it kind of all escalated quickly from here. I asked two of my bouncers to escort them out, and that was when the two women went all wolf-crazy on the dudes. Keelin was just drunk and disorderly one second – then vicious and completely out of control the next. It was like someone just flipped a switch suddenly in her head of something. She ruthlessly broke the arm of one of my guys, and then bit into the wrist of the other. I tried to restrain her so that she could take a minute to calm down, but that's when she….well you know"

He gestured to his now healing shoulder with his eyes.

"And the rest you know, as you entered just in time to stop her from ripping out my throat."

Freya looked at the bar manager with obvious confusion and disbelief in her eyes. She knew what the vampire was telling her was probably the truth, but she was having a hard time picturing the woman that she had fallen in love with, reacting in such a vicious and feral manner to something as trivial as being cut off for being too drunk.

 _What was happening to her lover, to cause such a change in personality over the course of the last 48 hours?_

"Did it seem like the other wolf that was with Keelin….well did she provoke her in any way, or encourage her to react to badly?"

Josh shook his head as he began pouring another shot of bourbon for himself.

"No. To be honest – and please don't fry my brain or anything for saying this – but your girlfriend seemed to react far more violently to the situation than the younger wolf did."

Freya slowly nodded her head gently, as her gaze dropped to the floor. It was time to head back to the Bell-Tower and try and talk to Keelin about everything that was going on. All the wolf seemed to have been doing since this all began was avoid the subject with the witch, or runaway - but enough was enough, the brunette needed to open up to her if Freya had any hope of trying to help fix the situation. Something which she badly wanted to do.

Freya turned to leave the bar and began to make her way over to the double door entrance, when Josh called after her.

"What, no "Thank you for your help Josh", or "Gee I'm sorry you got so badly torn up Josh"?"

She paused as she placed her hand on the handle that ran the length of the entranceway's frame, speaking to the bar manager without turning to meet his gaze.

"If you or your vampire thugs ever lay a hand on my girlfriend again, I will personally see to it that your hearts are ripped from your chest's, and stuffed down your throats!"

As the last word left her mouth, she pulled on the door handle and left the building without looking back.

Josh stared in the witch's wake, an incredulous look on his face.

"Crazy! Every single one of them!"

 **2.**

As Freya reached the top step of the dusty stairs that led up into her Bell-Tower haven, she paused and took a second to try and collect her thoughts before continuing. The witch tried to list in her head all of the facts that she knew so far, in an attempt to organise her thoughts before confronting the wolf - whom she could hear shuffling about in the open room ahead of her.

Keelin was having difficulty controlling her wolf nature, that much was now very clear and obvious. And it seemed that the brunette's will over her animal traits was diminishing even further as time progressed. The Kyanite ring that Freya had given to the wolf over a month ago was still in place on her finger, and as far as the witch could tell, Keelin had not removed it at any point over the past 48 hours. And then there was the wolf's new acquaintance, Alanna, who had shown up in her life right before all of this started occurring. Freya was yet to hear from Hayley in relation to how her discussion with Mary had played out about the new wolf on the scene - so for now, she had no other option but to assume that the girl was potentially involved in the reason why Keelin was acting so strange.

The witch knew that her girlfriend was not going to want to talk about everything that had been happening, but she needed to at least try and get the wolf to open up to her about it all. Somehow make her see that they were still a team and in this together. She would do absolutely anything to try and fix the situation for the woman she loved.

 _If only she knew what the situation was in the first place!_

Taking a deep breath, Freya alighted the last step up onto the top floor of the Bell-Tower, and turned to enter into the familiar room – only to abruptly come face to face with Keelin, who appeared to be in a hurry to leave.

"Hey, whoa…hold up a minute"

Freya threw her hands out to grab Keelin's arms, in an attempt to steady them both as they collided mid walk – but the wolf immediately shrunk away from her touch, backing up a few paces so that there was a good metres distance between them.

"I'm sorry", the witch said quickly. "I didn't see you coming."

She took in the appearance of her girlfriend, and noted with dismay that the wolf had clearly been crying whilst she had been gone – so much so that her eyes were still puffy and red, with crimson blotches evident across her damp cheeks. Keelin looked to have tried to make an attempt to wipe away the dried blood which had been caked around her mouth, chin and neck, but there were still lingering red stains marring the collar of the light blue checked shirt that she was wearing, along with a few dried drops scattered across its midriff. The wolf's hair was wild, with curls spiralling out in awkward directions from the main bulk of her mane, giving the brunette the appearance that she had just woken up from a very restless night's sleep.

Freya desperately wanted to close the distance between them and engulf her girlfriend in a tight embrace – to hold her close and not let go until everything was right with the world once more. But she could tell from the aura that the wolf was giving off in waves, that trying to approach her right now might only somehow widen the gap that was evidently growing between them. She chose instead to soften her voice, and address the brunette from where she currently stood.

"Were you leaving?"

Keelin began to twist her hands together in front of her midriff, as she chewed briefly on her plump lower lip. She spoke to the witch without raising her eyes from the ground that they currently seemed to study with intent.

"I….I was going to text you when I got home, to let you know I was ok"

"And are you? Ok I mean?"

When the wolf didn't respond to her question, Freya attempted to take a small step forward to lessen the physical gap between them - but it only resulted in the agitated woman in front of her taking a step back of her own.

"Keelin talk to me please. I know that you are upset and confused, but we're meant to be a team remember. You are the one who told me that!"

Again, no response - other than the continuation of the wolf biting her lip and twisting her hands.

"I've been going out of my mind with worry since I woke up at the compound this morning. Have I done something to upset you? Because if I have then please just let…."

"No!" Keelin's head shot up as she looked at the witch with a sudden urgency glistening in her teary eyes. "No, you've done nothing wrong."

Freya waited briefly for the brunette to continue, but it seemed that those were the only words that she was going to offer at that point.

"Then what is it? I can't help you if you won't talk to me." She laughed briefly as she realised how their opposing characters seem to have switched. "I'm meant to be the broody one, remember - not you."

The witch's small smile faded as she saw that her poor attempt at humour had fallen on deaf ears. She quickly decided to try and take a different approach. Reaching out her hand slowly, she indicated to Keelin that she wanted to take the brunette's right hand into her own.

"Can you let me see your Kyanite ring for a minute, so that I can check that the enchantment is still in place and working ok?"

Keelin's eyes shifted from the floor to the glistening ring that was in place on her right index finger. When she spoke, her voice came out so softly that the witch had a hard time catching each word that she said.

"It's not the ring that's broken Freya. It's me."

"Keelin you're not broken. I'm sure…"

"Yes, I am!" The wolf's eyes flew up to meet Freya's with a sudden fierce intensity, taking the witch by surprise. "I need to leave, it's not safe for you to be around me right now."

Keelin abruptly surged forward, walking with speed towards the bell-towers staircase, as she made to side step around her confused girlfriend. She was halted in her tracks however, when Freya shot her hand out and grabbed the wolf's arm.

"Keelin, stop!"

The witch grasped down hard on to the brunette, determined to prevent her girlfriend from running out on her yet again.

"Stop running away from me! Please!"

"Freya, don't you see?" Keelin's voice was full of sorrow and angst as she whipped her head around to look the witch in the eyes. "I don't trust myself to be near you right now. The wolf in me….it is suddenly so overpowering.…I can feel it even now, trying to force its way to the surface and dominate my mind. If I lose control again without warning, I could…..oh god, what I did to Josh, I could do that to you…"

"Keelin you won't hurt me." Tears were now beginning to brim in the witch's eyes, to match those already flowing freely down her lover's face. "I'm a witch remember, I can protect myself!"

"Like you managed to do so well last night?"

Freya's mouth dropped open. She willed words to come out of it, to form into a coherent sentence that would both sooth her lover and make the wolf see that somehow everything was going to be alright. But all she could manage was a strange little coughing sound, that dissipated in the air almost as soon as it left her lips. The memory of the pain from the gashes across her back that morning, ran riot through her mind suddenly, as she struggled to find the right words to say.

"I…I nearly killed you, Freya." Keelin's words were now more of a sob than they were a coherent voice. "And that vampire today in Rousseau's…and Josh. Christ, I didn't even realise that it was Josh I was biting into. It was all such a blur of…."

"Of what?" Freya prompted when the wolf's words seem to falter.

Keelin sighed heavily, as her gaze fell away from the witch once more.

"You wouldn't understand. You're not a…."

"I'm not a wolf? Is that what this is about – you're shutting me out because I'm not a wolf?"

Freya's frustration at the whole situation suddenly came to a head, and her voice unwillingly became a tone harsher.

"Is that why you ran off to see your new interest this morning, Alanna - instead of waiting to see if I was ok? Because she's a wolf and I'm not!?"

The witch immediately regretted the words as soon as they had left her mouth, as she watched Keelin's reddened eyes widen in shock. But it was too late to take them back - and if she was completely honest with herself, it was something that had been playing on her mind ever since she had learnt from Vincent that Keelin and Alanna had been sat drinking in Rousseau's together. She could admit that it had hurt her, knowing that instead of sticking around to see if she had recovered ok from her wounds, the wolf had instead run off and decided to go for a casual afternoon drink with the one person that Freya happened to trust the least right now.

"It's not like that, Freya. I didn't go looking for Alanna, she just happened to bump into me as I was…."

"Oh sure right, she just happened to bump into you – in a huge city like New Orleans, she just happened to stroll on by the exact spot that you had run to!"

The witch could hear the crude sarcasm that was beging to wrap itself around her voice, but she couldn't help it at that exact moment. The worry and frustration that she had been feeling all day was rapidly turning into a twisted form of anger, and she wasn't even sure if she wanted it to stop. Anger was something that she was familiar with at least. It was something that she was used to feeling.

"Yes!" Keelin's voice raised in exasperation. "That's exactly what happened!"

Freya huffed in a show of disbelief, as her hand dropped away from the wolfs slim, muscular arm.

"Freya, you need to understand that even though I don't know why this is happening to me right now, I do know that it's still a wolf thing. Its still related to the curse that I was born with! No enchanted ring, or spell, or even a medical serum is ever going change the fact that I was born this way. I was born a monster!"

Freya's initial instinct was to grab her girlfriend and hold her tight - to tell her over and over again that she was not a monster. That she was the furthest thing from a monster that the witch could possibly imagine. And that she of all people should know, as she had been brought up by an actual monster, in the form of her cruel and malicious Aunt Dahlia.

But just as she was about to act upon her impulses, the image that had conjured itself into her mind earlier that day, of Keelin and Alanna sat laughing together whilst drinking in Rousseau's - came rushing back into her mind once more. Resentment suddenly twisted in her gut, as the idea that the two of them might have been laughing at the notion of someone who wasn't a wolf trying to understand their actions, took root inside of her head. The idea of them laughing…at her.

Seeing that the witch was clearly withdrawing into an inner monologue inside of her head, Keelin sighed, and moved slowly over to the top of the staircase which would lead her out of the Bell-Tower. She turned around slightly so that her upper body was facing Freya, as she placed her foot on the first step, gripping onto the bannister to steady herself as she stopped.

"I'm going to go and spend a few days with the pack that has recently moved into town. They're staying in the Bayou - with Hope's grandmother's permission of course - and apparently have plenty of room to accommodate me for a couple of nights."

The information abruptly dragged Freya out of her thoughts, as she looked over into her girlfriend's eyes with incredulous disbelief.

"You are going to do what?!"

"Alanna suggested that if I spent some time being around a pack again, seeing their interactions and how they cope with their constant mood swings etc, that it might help me with coming to terms in regards to my own recent hormone surges and impulses. I initially declined the offer – but now, after what I….what I did to Josh and…."

"Fine then - go running off to her again, since she's the only one who could possibly understand you." The witch could feel the anger and hurt burning up into her eyes, as she stared at the wolf in incredulity.

"Freya please, its not like that. This is just something I think I need to do, to try and get to the bottom of what's happening with my wolf nature - otherwise I'm in danger of really hurting the one person that I love more than anything else in this world."

"Too late, you already have!"

Freya turned away from the wolf as she spoke, determined not to let Keelin see the tears that were now flowing down her burning cheeks. She heard the brunette gasp sharply at the words that she had just spoken to her, but the anger and hurt that were presently coursing through her veins prevented the witch from turning back and apologising. It was clear that Keelin wanted the help of the wolf Alanna, far more than that of her own girlfriend. So who was she to stop her.

"Freya…I…"

There was a pause as the wolf tried to find words, and failed.

With her back still turned to her girlfriend, Freya heard the brunette let out a small sob before then sighing, and seemingly pulling herself back together. Just before the sound of Keelin's footsteps rung out as she descended the wooden stairs to leave, the wolf said two last parting words to the witch.

"I'm sorry."

And just like that, she was gone.


	12. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11.**

 **1.**

Early dawn sunlight streamed into the Mikaelson compound's courtyard, giving the food that was laid out across the large dining table, a golden sun-kissed glow. The air in the open space was particularly crisp that morning, as most of the windows surrounding the large quad had been thrown open at the first hint of day break, in an attempt to freshen the atmosphere in advance of the large family breakfast Hailey had planned for Hope.

It had now been a few days since the hybrid had taken her daughter to visit Mary in the Bayou, and the young witch had thankfully been having fewer nightmares since she had finally opened up and spoken about their content for the first time. The elder wolf had managed to coax out of the smallest Mikaelson that her re-occurring dreams had been mostly about the Hollow, and the young witch's apparent subconscious wish to cause harm to the evil spirit. Whilst Hayley herself had at first been disturbed as she listed to her sweet little girl describe how she had been viciously maiming the spirit in her dreams on a nightly basis - using her "liquorice magic", as the youngster called it – Mary had taken a slightly more optimistic view of the girl's subliminal violence.

She had assured both a tearful Hope, and her anxious mother, that it was only natural for the young witch to harbour resentment and anger towards the being that had so ruthlessly invaded her mind and body. Mary had also gone on to speculate that the dreams were just Hope's minds way of processing what had happened to her, and that as the youngster came to accept that the ordeal was over and move on, the nightmares themselves would lessen – eventually disappearing altogether.

Hayley had of course been sceptical – whilst she loved Mary dearly, and often saw her as a sort of mother figure that she had never really had – the hybrid knew that the elder wolf could sometimes be a little too optimistic when it came to matters of the mind. The old woman was always quick to brush off expressions of weak emotions, in favour of the notion that what didn't kill you, only made you stronger.

That said, the hybrid could not deny that since that afternoon spent talking with her grandma, Hope's demeanour and general happiness had certainly picked up, and Klaus and she had only been woken by Hope's night-time screams once over the past 3 evenings. Which was a certain improvement.

"Well now little wolf, I think you might have even out done me in going over-board with the morning pastries today!"

Hayley turned to see Klaus descending down into the courtyard from the family rooms based on the first level of the complex. His eyes glistened with mischief as he eyed the breakfast spread that the hybrid had only just finished plating up onto the grand wooden table. She turned her head back to evaluate her own work, and chuckled a little to herself as she realised that the critique provided by her daughter's father was probably a fair assessment. Croissants and Danish pastries were heaped onto table in the dozens, alongside every sort of Jam and Spread imaginable. Next to the pastries were several plates piled high with freshly made pancakes, still steaming with heat in the morning air. And of course, alongside the pancakes, Hayley had provided a heaving bounty of crispy bacon, maple syrup, blueberries, strawberries, and cream – just in case her little witch was particularly undecisive that morning at to what she wanted to accompany her crepes. Pots of coffee and English Tea also sat on the table, complimented by jugs of freshly squeezed orange juice and various flavoured grape juices.

In truth, it looked more like a "last meal" feast prepared for an army of twenty battle weary soldiers, than a simple morning breakfast to serve six.

"I just wanted everything to be perfect for Hope. Its been a long time since we all sat down together for breakfast, and I know that she's been missing her Aunty Rebekah something terrible…."

"As have I been missing the little munchkin dreadfully!"

Both Hayley and Klaus - who had now come to standstill across the table from Hope's mother – turned their heads towards the Compounds entranceway, where they were met with the sight of the youngest Mikaelson sister walking through the gateway.

"Rebekah! How lovely to see you, and looking so positively radiant at that!"

"Ah Niklaus, always the bloody charmer!"

Rebekah grinned generously as she and her brother walked towards each other, meeting in a hearty embrace as Hayley looked on with a warm smile on her face. The Mikaelson family was certainly cursed with more than their fair share of family feuds and drama - but their love for one another was fierce, and the Hayley was always happy to witness the few moments when that bond shone through in all its raw glory.

As the two Original siblings parted from their hug, Rebekah turned to face the observing hybrid with a fresh smile flashing her pearly white teeth.

"And Hayley – how is my favourite wolf hybrid? Looking after my precious little niece well, I should hope?"

Hayley laughed as the two of them engaged in a brief embrace.

"I think it is more a case of her looking after me! She's growing up so fast, that I anticipate she will be bossing us all around in no time whatsoever!"

"I would expect nothing less from the daughter of the great Klaus Mikaelson", Klaus interjected as he smiled at the two women from across the table.

"Good to see your ego is as in check as ever, brother!" Rebekah laughed.

The hybrid smiled at his sister, before starting to make his way back over the courtyards grand staircase.

"Well why don't you two ladies catch up on your make-up and dress making tips, whilst I go and wake the little angel in question. She will be excited to see her Aunty Rebekah no doubt."

Rebekah and Hayley both rolled their eyes to each other at Klaus's out of date sexist remark, as he swiftly disappeared up towards Hope's bedroom.

"So, do tell me love – what trials and tribulations have I missed in the few weeks since I was last home? There will no doubt have been numerous tyrants executed and evil enemies vanquished for simply looking at my brothers in the wrong way?"

Hayley laughed, as she gestured for Rebekah to take a seat at the table she had set out for breakfast.

"Do you know for once, it has been quite quiet on the death and destruction front. Only the odd annoying fly killed for landing on freshly prepared food!"

Rebekah's posture subtly changed, as she lent over the table to be within better earshot of the Hybrid, apparently wanting to impart her next words in a lower volume to normal.

"And how are you and my other, more immaculately dressed brother coping with being back in each other's company - I heard that he has returned home from his little jaunt in South Carolina."

Hayley sighed briefly, as she mentally cursed the Original vampire for bringing up the rather large elephant that had been in the room ever since Elijah's return 5 days ago. In truth, the two former lovers had been actively avoiding each other since the orderly vampire had come back from his short self-imposed exile. They had of course been unable to evade each other completely, as it would have been an impossible task given that they were once again living under the same roof. But the few times that they had met – briefly passing in a hallway, or crossing paths as one entered the complex as the other was leaving – had been both awkward and uncomfortable, with neither party really knowing what to say to the other.

"It has been….difficult", was all that she could bring herself to say.

Rebekah looked on at the hybrid with sympathetic eyes, as she leant back into her chair.

"Well, give it time love. The two of you are destined to be together in the end, I know it."

Just then, the gates to the compound bounded open for the second time that morning, as the eldest Mikaelson walked into the courtyard, looking both tired and drained. Hayley noted that the witch was still in the same clothes that she had seen her leave the family home in two days ago, as the blonde had been heading once again to the Bell-Tower where she had been spending even more time than usual over the past few days.

The blonde looked to be in far more need of a hot shower and long sleep, than a raucous family breakfast with her kin.

"Freya, my darling older sister! Come here, and give your doting sibling a hug."

The witch looked up and met Rebekah's wide smile, with a weak grin of her own. Weariness was evident in Freya's tired bloodshot eyes, and Hayley could see that the Original vampire creased her forehead in a small frown, as the two of them embraced in a greeting.

"It is good to see you, Rebekah", the witch said, as she briefly rested her head on the vampire's shoulder as they embraced. "New York clearly favours you sister - you look well!"

Rebekah glanced over her sibling with a look of curiosity in her eyes, as she replied to the witch.

"I wish I could say the same of you, love! Have you been burning the candle at both ends again in that grimy Bell-Tower of yours?"

A small, embarrassed smile washed over Freya's face as she quickly averted her eyes from the original vampire.

"Ah yes, apologies for my appearance sister. I have been engrossed in trying to find the whereabouts of the Hollow's spirit over the past few days, and fear I have let such pleasantries as sleep and hygiene go by the wayside. Please, do excuse me - I shall go and take a quick shower, before breakfast commences."

As Freya slowly made her way up the grand staircase, eventually disappearing in the direction of her bedroom, Rebekah turned to speak to Hayley – with the frown that had formed on her face deepening further.

"Is everything ok with my sister? She seems….pre-occupied!"

Hayley began lowering herself in the seat opposite Rebekah, as she pondered how best to answer her question.

"She has been having a rough couple of days I think. Her and Keelin have – well to be honest I'm not quite sure what has gone on between them, but they seem to be on a break of sorts."

Rebekah's eyebrows shot up in surprise, as she processed the hybrid's information.

"A break? Surely not? They have only just found one-another, how can they be needing time apart so soon?"

Hayley shrugged her shoulders towards the blonde vampire, and sighed as she continued.

"From what little I know, Keelin has been struggling with some werewolf related issues, and has kind asked Freya for some space whilst she tries to deal with it all."

The hybrid quickly decided to hold back the information relating to back injuries that Freya sustained at the hands of her girlfriend – the witch had been particularly embarrassed about the details as to how it had happened, and Hayley figured that if Freya wanted Rebekah to know about it, she would tell the vampire herself.

"They haven't seen each other in a few days, which is why I think your sister has been spending even longer than normal up in the Bell-Tower. She's not been back to sleep in her own bed here for the past three evenings, favouring the cot in the tower I think."

Rebekah pulled her face in a revolted manner.

"That grubby old poor excuse for a bed? It's not surprising she looks like death warmed up then, the poor thing."

The vampire looked to contemplate something over in her head for a second, before resuming her address.

"Keelin doesn't exactly strike me as the closed-off type however, so I'd be surprised if my sister was completely blameless in this small hiccup they are having."

Hayley laughed and shook her head gently, as she began pouring herself a cup of black coffee from one of the many pots that adorned the table in front of them.

"Well you of all people should know just how stubborn the members of your family can be, Rebekah." She smiled at the vampire, to emphasise the good humour in which she meant the comment. "I imagine the fact that Freya has been refusing to call or text the wolf, is not helping matters."

Rebekah nodded to herself, and was about to say something further, when the sound of small feet clattering down the compound's staircase caught both of the women's attention.

"Aunty Bekah, Aunty Bekah, you're here!"

Rebekah turned and raised quickly out of her chair, opening her arms out wide as a huge smile spread across her face.

"There's my little cherub! Come here and give your Aunty Bekah a big, delicious hug!

 **2.**

"And that's when I decided that New York is definitely my spiritual home – well for this century anyway!"

Hayley had been watching Rebekah from across the Mikaelson's dining table, as she had told her family about her recent adventures in the Big Apple - and come to the conclusion that the vampire looked more at peace with her immortal existence than the hybrid had ever seen her before. Contentment seemed to be radiating off the Original, and Hayley was genuinely happy that the woman finally seemed to "living" her own life, as opposed to purely existing for the family vow that the Mikaelson's had sworn to each other all those centuries ago. Always and Forever.

"Whilst your latest exploits sound refreshingly mundane, Sister, I do hope that you have not completely lost sight of the fact that your family and responsibilities still lie here, in New Orleans"

Hayley's eyes flickered over to Klaus, who was typically sat at the head of the big table, as she attempted to admonish him with just a look. They hybrid could be infuriating at times with his inability to accept any happiness that his family attained if it wasn't directly tied to himself.

"Of course, brother, how could I ever forget when I have you to so graciously remind me – often!"

Klaus smiled his wide, trade mark mischievous grin, as he raised his coffee cup in Rebekah's direction.

"Aunty Bekah, are you staying for the big party tonight? It would be awesome if we could all go together."

The Original sister turned her head towards Hope, who was sat next to her mother, wriggling in her seat as she worked on consuming her third pancake of the morning.

"What party is that, beautiful?" the blonde vampire asked of her niece.

Hayley quickly flicked her eyes, first to Elijah, and then to Klaus, as she searched their faces quickly for the answer as to how Hope had not only come to know about the Mardi Gras that was taking place later that evening, but as to why her she also thought that they would be going. Klaus had told the hybrid about the heated exchange that had happened between himself, Elijah and Vincent, and how the New Orleans witch had demanded that the Mikaelson family refrain from attending the quarters celebrations.

Klaus had been positively livid after Vincent had departed the Mikaelson home that afternoon, claiming to anyone in the compound that would listen that he would rip the witch's head off his shoulders if he tried to prevent his family from enjoying themselves in their own city. That he would burn down the man's church and kill every single witch in quarter, if that is what it would take to make Vincent remember exactly who he was dealing with. Hayley had returned from the Bayou that day to find the Original hybrid pacing up and down the courtyard in a rage, as Elijah had been trying to calm his brother down – which she herself knew was an almost impossible task.

It had only been the next morning, when Marcel had paid a visit to the compound to see Hope, that Klaus had finally calmed down enough to talk over the matter without spiralling into a full-blown hurricane of rage. Marcel had managed to convince the hybrid that the street party was not worth caring about, as it was mainly just going to be Vincent and his coven's families letting off some steam after their recent persecution at the hands of the Hollow. The King of New Orleans had also said that neither he or any of his vampires would be attending, as they had better things to be concerning themselves with.

Hayley had managed to get Klaus and Elijah to agree not to mention the Mardis Gras to Hope, if the family were not to be attending. She had not wanted to have her daughter get excited for the event, only to then not to be allowed to join in the fun.

 _i So how was she now asking about it? /i_

"It's a big party being held in the street tonight. Please say you can come Aunty Bekah, please!"

Before Rebekah could answer the excited little witch, Hayley placed a gentle hand on her daughter's shoulder to gain her attention.

"Sweetie, who's told you that there is a party taking place tonight?"

The youngster turned to her mother, and Haley could see that her eyes were practically overflowing with eagerness for the event.

"The man who delivers the boxes with daddy and uncle Elijah's bottles in them. He told me about it yesterday, and said that all the kids from the quarter were going and that he bet I couldn't wait to join in the fun"

Hayley quickly exchanged a questioning look with her daughter's father.

"James, from the liquor store. He delivered our usual crate of bourbon yesterday afternoon" Elijah said in response to Hayley's unspoken query to Klaus. "I had no idea that Hope had spoken with him however - he was only here for a couple of minutes, five at the most."

Hayley and Klaus had briefly left Hope under the supervision of her uncle the previous day, as they had both nipped out of the compound to visit a local tutoring expert, who was well known in the area to be the best Home Schooling instructor for kids aged 4-11. Hayley had finally - after many weeks of trying to wear him down - gotten Hope's father to agree to at least explore the options that were open to them for Hope to begin getting some form of normal education – other than that provided by her own family.

The original hybrid had practically exploded with fury when she had first suggested to him that they enrol their daughter in the boarding school that had recently been established by Klaus's old acquaintances, Caroline and Rick, back in Mystic Falls. He had accused Hayley of trying to take his daughter away from him again, and threatened her with all manners of painful and death inducing atrocities – until she had finally managed to satisfy him that she was purely worried that their daughter was going to suffer for not having any form of standard education whilst growing up – powerful witch or not. Over the days that had followed, she had managed to convince the hybrid to at least entertain the possibility of Home Schooling, since he would not agree to the boarding school initiative.

The meeting with the tutor had gone surprisingly well – until the poor unsuspecting fellow had asked if Hope would have any special needs that needed catering for, given that she had up until now had no formal education. Klaus had had the man's neck in his hands crushing his airway, before Hayley had even had time to blink - threatening to end the "disrespectful fool's" life for suggesting that the daughter of the great Klaus Mikaelson was anything short of a remarkable genius.

It had taken some of her healing blood, and a quick compulsion of the tutor to forget that she or Klaus had ever been in his home, before Hayley could force the short-tempered hybrid to walk away from the situation.

"Am I missing something here?"

It was Rebekah, now looking slightly confused as she addressed her brothers.

Elijah leaned over to his sister and Hayley's enhanced hybrid hearing just picked up on him whispering to the vampire that he would fill her in later, when Hope was not around.

She turned her attention back to her daughter, and put on the best placating smile that she could muster.

"Honey, unfortunately we can't go to the street party tonight, its just for the witches of New Orleans to attend."

"But mummy, I'm a witch. And Aunty Freya is a witch too"

Hayley glanced over to Freya, who was sat at the opposite end of the table to Klaus - in the hope that the her daughter's aunt would help with explaining to the child that whilst they were both witches, they did not belong to Vincent's coven. But she received no response from the brooding blonde, who's eyes remained fixed upon the plate of food in front of her as she pushed an untouched pancake around with the tip of a fork.

Seeing that she wasn't getting an immediate answer from her mother, Hope quickly leant forward and addressed her father, as a look of disappointment started to creep on her face.

"Daddy please say we can go to the party? I really want to see all the bright colours and play with the other children."

Klaus gazed at his daughter with loving eyes, as he stumbled to find a way to let her down gently.

"Please daddy, just this once. I never get to have any fun anymore."

The young witch's last words seemed to have a powerful effect on the Original hybrid, as a look of guilt quickly flashed across his face, before being replaced with that of steeled determination.

"Of-course you shall get to go to the party my darling!"

"YEY, thank you daddy, thank you!" The young witch quickly pushed her chair away from the dining table, and bounced lightly onto her feet. "I'm going to go and pick out my bestest outfit for it!"

As Hope sped away up the grand staircase, both Hayley and Elijah turned their heads to Klaus, with their mouths slightly ajar in shock.

"What in the world are you thinking Klaus?" Hayley asked as she tried to rein in her bubbling anger. "She's going to be heartbroken when she realises that she can't actually go!"

Klaus gestured towards the front gates of the compound, as he responded.

"Of-course she is going. We all are. I'm not having my daughter miss out on the opportunity to witness an infamous New Orleans Mardi Gras, just because some obnoxious, self-important witch thinks that he can order me around. No one tells my family what they can or can't do. No one!"

Hayley heard Rebekah sigh loudly at her brother's bravado, as the blonde vampire selected another pastry from the table's spread.

"Klaus this could cause a rift with the witch faction that we really don't need right now. Did you stop to think that maybe Vincent is just trying to prevent any further unrest amongst the people of the city, by allowing them one night of partying and relaxation without having to worry about the presence of any vampires, or hybrids, or any other supernatural being that has a history of persecuting their kind?" Hayley's voice broke in exasperation as she finished her address.

"Nonsense!" Klaus stood up out of his chair as he continued to speak. "Vincent is just trying to push my family around because he hate's the fact that we are still here in the quarter, despite his best efforts to have Marcellus eject us."

"Niklaus, please", Elijah interrupted. "A little decorum brother, whilst we dine with our family."

"Our family, dear brother, will be all the better off for a little fun and frivolity spent mingling with the local riff raff during tonight's festivities." The hybrid looked over to his older sister, who was still sat with her head bowed down as her eyes lay unfocused on her breakfast plate. "Freya, you look like you could use a little amusement injecting into your day. What say you sister - shall we show my young daughter how delightful a New Orleans Mardi Gras can truly be?"

All at the table turned to look at the eldest Mikaelson, as they waited on her response. Hayley watched as the witch slowly roused herself back out of her inner thoughts, and raised her head in response to her name having been spoken. The blonde appeared mildly confused as she realised that all eyes present were currently upon her, clearly waiting on a retort to a question that she had not heard.

"Sorry brother, I was lost in my thoughts. What did you need from me?"

"Come now sister, do at least try and pretend that you want to spend some time with your family." Klaus was looking at his eldest sibling with what Hayley assumed was mild irritation at the witch's lack of engagement.

Freya's cheeks flushed slightly, as she appeared to try and ground herself back in the real world around her.

"Apologies all, I am simply over tired from a few long days of spell research. Please excuse me, brothers - sister."

The witch arose from her chair, and started to make her way over to the staircase - her head hung low and her posture that of an exhausted person in need of their bed.

Klaus opened his mouth as he followed the witch with this head, as though to call out to her again – but Hayley placed a hand quickly on his arm to halt him in his tracks.

"Klaus, let me. I think she may need a slightly softer approach than that of a bull in a china shop."

The Original hybrid turned to Hayley as though to protest, before seeing the concern that was written across her face, and deciding to drop his objection. He instead simply nodded and sat back down in his seat.

As Hayley started to make her way slowly up to the first floor of the compound, intent on following the troubled witch, she heard Rebekah's voice pipe up as the conversation at the grand table resumed.

"So, tell me Niklaus - what in the world have you done now to have annoyed Vincent into banning you from his little soiree?"

3.

As Hayley came to a stop in the doorway to the eldest Mikaelson's bedroom, she lightly rapped her knuckles on the wooden frame that surrounded the entrance, signalling her presence. The witch had taken herself over to the far-side window of the bedroom, and was currently stood with her arms crossed, as she leant against the wall staring out of the glass barrier with heavy, hooded eyes.

"Can I come in?"

Freya's head turned slightly in the hybrid's direction, as the witch gently shrugged her shoulders before returning her attention back to the view out of the window.

"Look, I know it's not really any of my business - but it seems to me that maybe if you just called her…."

"She made it perfectly clear that she didn't want my help, Hayley."

Freya's voice was both short and curt, but the hybrid knew that the anger spiking the witch's words had not really been directed at her. Biting her lower lip gently, she walked further into the room, and rested a hand on the large round table that was placed near the bedrooms old fireplace.

"Maybe it's not help with her problems that she needs from you, Freya."

Hayley paused as she tried to choose her words carefully – not wanting to upset the witch any more than she clearly already was.

"She might just need to know that her girlfriend is thinking about her, whilst she is going through a hard time."

The witch let out a short, harsh laugh, as she continued to stare out over the New Orleans skyline.

"I'm pretty sure that she'll be too wrapped up enjoying the company of her new wolf-lover to give a damn about what I think."

"Freya!" Hayley scolded. "Now you're just being ridiculous."

The witch abruptly turned her head from the window, to look that the hybrid with eyes filled with hurt and anger.

"Am I? The fact of the matter is, all she has done since starting to have issues with controlling her instincts is run off and seek out the company of this Alanna girl. Evidently my not being a wolf makes me a far less appealing prospect than that of the fresh new talent in town"

Hayley sighed, as she shook her head in exasperation.

"Freya, stop! Just stop ok. You are talking like a petulant, jealous child - and as far as I was aware, Hope is meant to be the only 7-year-old currently residing in the complex!"

The witch's green eye's widened as she raised her eyebrows, apparently taken back by Hayley's sudden harsh tone.

"Keelin is in love with you, and has only had eyes for you since the moment you stopped using her as a means to an end, and started treating her like an actual human being!"

As she watched tears begin to well in the green eyes fixed on her, the hybrid knew that her chosen words might have cut a little deeper with the witch than was truly necessary. But she was tired of watching the blonde slowly press self-destruct on what was clearly the best thing to have happened to her in centuries.

"You need to start to trust her, and accept that there are some things that even you cannot fix."

"But I'm always the one to fix things. It's what I do - it's all I'm good for."

"But this is something that might not be fixable, Freya! Keelin is a wolf, and believe me when I say that having to deal with that particular heritage can be a bitch! Before I became a hybrid, I found it a daily struggle just trying to keep a level head in the most mundane of situations. It's the very reason that you find most of our kind living out in the sticks, instead of deep within the heart of towns and cities. The less people that wolves are around, the less chance there is of them accidently lashing out and hurting an innocent bystander."

"But I'm not just any person, Hayley. I'm her girlfriend, and a witch. I can protect…"

"You can't have your guard up all the time Freya", Hayley interrupted. "As proven with what happened the other night. Keelin is clearly struggling with something that is causing her to lose control of her instincts more violently than the average wolf. Until she figures out how to get a handle on that, she is clearly trying to just put your safety first. Can you imagine how you'd have felt if you had caused those type of injuries to her, by suddenly losing control of your magic?"

Freya's eyes dropped to the floor, as the anger which had been flowing through her body seemed to lessen its grip on the witch, causing her features to soften as a result. She shook her head, in apparent response to Hayley's rhetorical question.

"I just feel so helpless."

Hayley looked at the witch for a few seconds longer, before slowly moving closer to the blonde and placing a hand on her shoulder.

"I know."

The two stood there for a few minutes, as the witch let quiet tears roll down her bowed face. Eventually, when the blonde appeared to be getting a handle on her emotions, Hayley dropped her hand away from the witch's shoulder, and walked back over to the round table, picking up one of the eldest Mikaelson's glistening necklaces that was laying on the furniture. She twirled it delicately in her hand, as she turned back around to speak to the witch.

"Listen, why don't you join us all tonight at this Mardi Gras that Klaus seems insistent on Hope getting to attend. It might help to take your mind off things for a short while – and to be completely honest I could use a hand in trying to make sure that your brother doesn't do something reckless and stupid, like kill Vincent on sight!"

Freya let out a small laugh, and raised her head to smile gently at the hybrid as tears slowly began to dry in her eyes.

"I'm not sure that would be a bad thing."

Hayley gave the witch a mock look of reproach.

"Come on, say you'll come. For Hope if not for yourself. She'll be ever so happy if both her Aunty Freya and her Aunty Rebekah are there at the festival with her?"

Hayley mustered up the best pleading look that she had in her repertoire, in hope of convincing the witch to try and forget her problems for just one evening.

"My lord, what is it with you wolves and your puppy dog eyes!" Freya laughed - the first genuine one that the hybrid had heard from the blonde in days.

"Yes, I'll come already! Just please stop looking at me like that!"


	13. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

 **1.**

Leaves crunched under the smooth bare feet of the slender woman, as she slowly made her way under the dense canopy of the humid Bayou. A crisp crackling sound radiated out with each step that she took, breaking the otherwise serene silence of the early dawn that was beginning to break over the swamp. Despite the youthful hour of the day, the temperature of the quagmire was already reaching a level that was usually found on a pleasant summer's day back in the bustling city of New Orleans - even though the current season was autumn.

The mildness of the morning touched Keelin's naked skin with a soft warming embrace, causing a smile to begin to form on her lips as human thoughts and sensations slowly returned to the forefront of her mind. As her vision softened back from the sharp primal focus that had been guiding her way over the past several hours, her eyes roamed over the numerous trees and rocks that littered the ground in front, as she tried to get a bearing on her location within the marshland.

Taking in a deep, unlaboured breath, the wolf detected faint molecules of the scent that she was searching for, mingled in with the earthy smell of the bayou itself – her intended destination was close. Bearing slightly to the left, she picked up her pace and walked briskly for what she figured to be another half mile, before she could begin to see a small clearing in the dense vegetation just ahead of her.

Rays of bright sunlight beamed down unrestricted into the area that was untouched by the primitive aged trees and foliage of the Bayou, giving the clearing the appearance that it was radiating out a mystical glow that was bleeding through the gaps in-between the surrounding wooden sentries. Keelin raised a hand to shade her face, and squinted her eyes to the point of them being almost shut - trying to block out the days bright glare as she took a few steps out into the open space. Although briefly blinded, the brunette's nose told her that the items for which she was searching lay somewhere towards the middle of the clearing – clothes to adorn her now very human form.

i _And something else, she quickly realise. Another scent mixed in with that of the familiar smell of denim fabric and soft cotton. Was it a hint of human sweat?_ /i

Before her eyes had chance to adopt to the new intense level of light, the wolf's ears picked up the sound of what appeared to be a sudden hitch in breath, as though someone nearby had just gasped gently to themselves.

She swiftly realised that she wasn't alone.

"Who's there?"

Her vision started to come back, and she could just make out the silhouette of a female form, appearing to be stood holding the clothes that she required a few metres ahead of her position.

"Erm, hey…..your clothes are here"

She instantly recognised the voice as belonging to her new friend, Alanna. A mixture of relief, surprise, and embarrassment quickly washed over her, as she became acutely aware of her nakedness. After rapidly blinking her eyes in an attempt to speed up the process of adjustment, the wolf's vision finally focused enough for her to see that the smaller woman was stood smiling at her, as she held out the familiar garments for taking.

Keelin's cheeks flushed a deep red, as she saw her friend's eyes quickly flit up and down her form.

Promptly she closed the gap between them, and yanked her clothes out of the waiting wolf's hands.

"I thought you said that you'd just leave them in the clearing for me?" Her voice was slightly shaky, as she fought to shrug off the uncomfortable sensation of her body being judged by the girl in front of her.

The smile did not leave Alanna's face as she slowly turned her back to the older wolf, providing some delayed privacy.

"Yeah sorry about that, but I was postponed in getting here. I was sent on an unexpected errand this morning, and consequently had less time than I thought I would to leave your clothes for you."

Keelin quickly pulled on the skinny denim jeans, and draped the thin cotton shirt over her shoulders, before beginning to fumble with the plastic buttons that ran its length. Her hands suddenly seemed to have all the precision and grace of a clumsy two-year-old child, instead of the skill and accuracy belonging to the medical doctor that she had grown to become.

Upon finally managing to finish doing up her top, she pushed her hand quickly into the right front pocket of the jeans that she was now wearing, searching for the jewelled ring that usually resided on her right hand.

Panic rapidly washed over her when her search was met with nothing other than a few bits of fluff and empty space.

"Oh shit, my ring! Have you seen my ring?"

Alanna twisted back to face the now clothed brunette, and smiled as she pulled out a small shiny object from the back pocket of the shorts that she was wearing.

"Here - is this it?"

Keelin frowned at the younger woman, as she reached out and took the Kyanite ring from the offering hand. The wolf felt a weak sense of calm slowly flow through her body, as she slid the ring back into place on her finger.

Still frowning, she looked back at Alanna.

"Why did you take it?"

The younger wolf threw her hands up in a defensive posture, as she laughed at the woman in front of her.

"Hey chill out, I didn't take it. Promise! It fell out of your jeans pocket as I was carrying your stuff over here from the camp, so I put it in my own pocket after picking it up – to save me losing it completely before you got back."

Keelin wearily nodded at the girl, as her frown began to soften.

"What's with the over possessiveness for that thing anyways – just looks to me like a piece of cheap tatt that you'd win on a fairground stall, or whatever."

The older wolf lowered her gaze to the ring, as she slowly twirled it around on her finger. She couldn't help the small smile that forced its way across her lips as she responded.

"Freya gave it to me. It's spelled to grant me complete control of my wolf instincts, and to prevent me from being at the mercy of the moon. But since all this trouble began happening with my increased hormone surges, I guess – well I guess the enchantment hasn't been strong enough to work anymore. But it does seem to still prevent me from morphing completely into my wolf form, which is why I had to take it off last night, before I was able to fully….well you know"

Keelin's eyes dropped to the floor.

"Hey", Alanna quickly responded, sensing the older wolf's sudden burst of shame. "I thought you'd managed to work past this over the last few days with the pack!? Your wolf spirit is nothing to be ashamed of, Keelin. That's why Hatch suggested that you give in to the urges that you have been trying so hard to fight over the past week, and let your body transform into the shape that it has been desperately trying to attain. So that you could start to feel at one with your wolf spirit again."

Keelin nodded her head gently as she listened to her friend.

"You are truly blessed, being able to morph into the wolf without the presence of a full moon."

The brunettes head shot up suddenly, as the implications of what the younger wolf had just said hit home.

"I hadn't even thought about….. it wasn't a full moon last night?"

Alanna laughed at the woman's sudden surprise.

"Of course not - did you see the rest of us turning? It seems that whatever is currently enhancing your wolf traits and urges is also allowing you to transform without the need of the moons entirety."

Keelin laughed nervously, as she subconsciously increased the intensity with which she was twisting the Kyanite ring around on her finger. The brunette had come close to leaving the metal band behind at her apartment a few days ago, when she had been packing a bag of clothes to bring to the Bayou. She had believed the jewellery to now be completely redundant in its purpose, since her animal urges and impulses had been running riot regardless of its presence - and had been about it pull it off her finger and place it on the bedside cabinet, when a small pang of guilt had stopped her.

Freya had given her the ring. And despite the initial ominous circumstances that had surrounded the nature of the gift from the witch, Keelin had come to attach a certain sentimental value to the piece of jewellery as their relationship had developed. She now saw it as carrying a small part of the witch with her, wherever she was.

In the end, she hadn't been able to bring herself to remove it.

It was when – acting on the advice of Hatch, the Neivera pack's leader - she had been attempting to allow her wolf instincts to completely overpower her human form, that the brunette had realised that the ring must still have been working to some extent because she had not been able to morph completely until removing the piece.

 _i It seemed the witch's power was still protecting her in some small way after all /i_

"What's going through that mind of yours?" Alanna asked quizzically, as she looked at Keelin. "You've gone all inner-monologue on me all of a sudden."

As she replied, Keelin knelt down and began to pull on the walking boots that the younger wolf had also brought.

"I was thinking that it's a good job that I still have my ring after all, since it appears I could have caused a lot more damage over this past week without it."

"Hmph!" Alanna let out a sound of disapproval.

"Excuse me?"

"Sounds to me like that ring was given to you purely to control you, and prevent you from being able to be free as your true self."

Keelin looked up at the girl, as she tied her laces.

"It's not like that at all. It was a gift – a cure!"

Alanna threw her arms out, in apparent exasperation at her friend's declaration.

"When are you finally going to accept that there is nothing for you to be cured from? What we are, the beings that we can become – that is the gift!" The girl pointed quickly to the ring on Keelin's finger. "Not some poorly disguised leash given to you by someone who just wanted to take away your free will."

"Alanna, we've been through this already, Freya isn't trying to control me - not any more anyway. The ring helped me to become a better version of myself. It meant I could stop having to poison my body with the serum that I used to take."

"But she was, in the beginning right? That's what the ring was created for, to dominate over you? Correct?"

Alanna started to lightly pace back and forth in front of Keelin when she received no immediate reply, as her hormones surged and her irritation escalated.

"Has she even seen you in your true form? Have any of the city dwellers, that you claim have accepted you into their fold?"

Keelin's head bowed down, as she sighed.

"No, I would never endanger any of them in that way."

"A pity – you are magnificent."

Keelin's eye's shot up in surprise to meet the younger girl's gaze, as she realised what her last words had implied.

"You saw me last night….in my wolf form?"

Crimson embarrassment quickly flushed across the younger wolf's face, as she lowered her gaze - and Keelin realised that it was the first time that she had seen the girl look anything other than bold and confident.

"I mean…well yes. I swear I wasn't following you or anything. I just….well I heard a commotion out near the waterside when I was walking back from the evening's pack meeting to my trailer. When I went to investigate what the noise was, I could see you across the far side of the Bayou. You seemed to be stalking something, though I couldn't see what. Then in a heartbeat you were gone, racing off into the trees,"

Alanna paused, and seemed to quickly debate with herself on whether to continue or not.

"Honestly, Keelin, you looked amazing. So powerful and majestic - I was in awe."

"How can you be so sure that it was me, and not another wolf from your group?" Keelin asked, noting the girl's bashful compliment, but choosing to ignore it.

Despite the recent time spent interacting with the Neivera pack, and listening to their constant reassurances that being a wolf was something to be revered, not ashamed of - the brunette could still not bring herself to think of her animal state as anything other than savage.

 _i Certainly not majestic./i_

"Because it wasn't a full moon remember! The members of my pack are all tied to the moon's cycle - we are only able to completely transform on a specific night each month."

Keelin's brow furrowed as she began to feel uneasy at something Alanna had mentioned.

"And you say that you saw me stalking something?"

"Well it certainly appeared that way, yes. You were hunched close to the ground and slowly edging forward, before you suddenly tensed your hind-leg muscles and leapt off into the trees. Everything about your posture screamed that a hunt was underway."

After a few long drawn out seconds of silence between them, the young wolf's impatience got the better of her.

"Has it bothered you? That I saw you that way? Because honestly, Keelin, you have nothing to be embarrassed about!"

Keelin shook her head quickly, and started to move back towards the clearing's edge, motioning for Alanna to follow her as she turned.

"Can you lead me back to the camp please – I need to speak with Hatch."

Alanna quickly moved forward from her standing position, and picked up pace to be able to walk alongside the older wolf as they left the sun-kissed open space and entered back into the murky, green canopy covered woodland.

"Do you want to tell me what's got into you suddenly? What is the urgency?"

Keelin tried to reply to her companion as calmly as she could, as they quickly made their way weaving in and out of the trees - but on the inside she could feel her intestines start to knot in a sickening feeling of anxiety.

"When you change back each month from your wolf body, what's the one memory of your time spent in your animal form what always sticks out the most? The one memory, that manages to decipher into your human mind, whilst most of the others are lost in translation?"

The younger wolf smiled, clearly happy that the answer to Keelin's question was obvious to her.

"Hunting, of course! The exhilaration of the chase - of cornering your prey, and making a clean kill. "

"Exactly!" Keelin stopped abruptly, and turned to face the girl. "You said that you saw me hunting last night whilst I was a wolf. But Alanna, I don't remember it. Not the chase, not the exhilaration, or the…the kill. Nothing!"

Keelin paused, as she tried searching her mind again for any residue of memory or feeling relating to the previous evening's time spent in her animal form. By the time she suddenly resumed walking - Alanna once again having to run to catch up - the wolf's face had paled slightly, and a thin line of perspiration had begun to form along the top of her forehead.

"In fact I don't remember any of it! Not a thing. It's…."

She struggled to find the words to convey her thoughts, as the young wolf looked on at her expectantly.

"It's….like my mind wasn't there at all."

 **2.**

The Neivera encampment had just started to awaken from the previous evening's slumber, as the two wolf companions arrived back to its location. Keelin cast her eyes over the cluster of old trailer vans and trucks that littered the area, as she and Alanna slowly made their way over to the centre of the travelling village, where Hatch's personal campervan was situated.

It was clear from the scattered remains that were strewn all across the sodden ground, that some form of frivolity had taken place throughout the camp during the previous evening whilst she had been absent from their midst. The remains of several smouldering fires were dotted about in front of the trailers, with dozens of empty beer bottles and discarded food wrappers piled high in a few designated trash-heaps. The muddy ground was peppered with frequent indents left by boots and trainers – and from the haphazard pattern that the depressions left in the ground, the wolf got the impression that several heavy footed people had been making an attempt to dance in the evening's fresh air.

Various pack members were now beginning to emerge from their dwellings – small children jumping down with merriment into the soft mud from the elevated doorways of their homes, as tired parents looked on with seemingly hung-over expressions on their faces. The brunette estimated that within half an hour's time, the encampment would once again be bristling with activity as the pack member's embarked on their daily routine of life in the Bayou.

"Looks like I missed some kind of party last night" Keelin remarked to her friend, as she slowly turned around in a full 360-degree motion, surveying the whole encampment.

"Not really, it was just a few of us gathered around telling a few old-wolves-tales, so to speak."

Keelin came to a halt as they reached the remains of a particularly large fire outside of the pack leader's home, which was still smouldering and giving off the faintest wisp of charcoal fragranced smoke that lazily spiralled up before dissipating into the air. Turning so that she was facing the younger wolf, she raised a sceptical eyebrow in Alanna's direction.

"I've spent a couple nights with you all now, as you have sat and told stories to each other – it's never resulted in this much of a mess before!"

The younger wolf let out what seemed to Keelin to be an oddly nervous laugh, as she quickly flicked her eyes over the untidy and cluttered area, before replying to the brunette.

"Er, well I guess we may have had a drink or two more than usual".

"Come now Alanna, don't try and play our new companion here for a fool!"

Both women quickly whipped their heads around to see the pack leader Hatch, who was stood in the now open doorway of his trailer. Despite the early hour of the morning, and the fact that the man must have just arisen from an evening's deep slumber like the rest of his extended family, Keelin noted how immaculately dressed and presented the pack leader appeared to be. Adorned in sharply pressed dark blue chino's accompanied by a crisp white shirt, the wolf's greying blonde hair was neatly quiffed into a style that reminded Keelin of an old-fashioned look that was often portrayed in modern media to have been adopted by men that followed the "teddy-boy" trend back in the 1950's.

For a man that must definitely now be a few years past his prime, Keelin had to admit that Hatch struck quite the handsome figure, as he stood staring down at her and Alanna with a warm smile on his face.

"You are quite correct, my dear Keelin, in your astute observations. Our family did indeed partake in merriment of a more intense nature than usual, during the closing hours of last night. "

The greying wolf stepped down from the entrance to his trailer and moved to join the two ladies as they stood next to the remains of the dying fire. Upon reaching Alanna's side, the man placed a large, well-weathered hand upon the young girls shoulder, gripping on as he addressed the young wolf.

"There's no need to hide this from our esteemed guest dear child - we are as open and honest about our rituals here, as we are welcoming."

Keelin's curiosity was suddenly roused when she thought that she could see the younger wolf's demeanour cower slightly, as Hatch's hand had taken a hold of her shoulder. It had only been present for a split second at the most, but the brunette could have sworn that a brief look of fear had flushed its way across Alanna's face, before quickly being replaced by the girl's usual jubilant expression.

The brunette's eyes remained on the younger wolf for a few seconds longer, waiting to see if the out-of-place look would return to her face and confirm to Keelin that she hadn't just imagined it there. But she could no longer find evidence of what she had perceived to be anxiety in her new friend's eyes, so she turned her gaze back to the pack's leader, who was stood smiling at her expectantly.

"Ritual? That's an odd expression to use for describing a night spent dancing and drinking isn't it?"

Hatch let out a hearty laugh, as he continued to hold onto Alanna's shoulder whilst he replied.

"My dear wolf, it is merely another way of me saying that we Neivera are kind-of stuck in our ways. Last night you attained your true wolf form, without the presence of a full moon adorning the night sky. From what Alanna here has told me, I assume that I would be correct in saying that this was a first for you – transforming without the need of lunar influence?"

Keelin's brow creased in a small frown, as she struggled to understand where the pack leader was going with this train of thought. Her curiosity was still peaked however, so she nodded her head gently in confirmation of the man's assumption.

"Well, when a member of our Pack goes through the transition into their true animal form for the first time, we hold a night of celebration in their honour, to mark their ascension into a higher form of existence. Last night we drank and danced in your honour Keelin, preying to the gods to help guide your way during your time spent transitioned."

Slightly confused by the pack leader's explanation, Keelin battled internally to keep the hormonal surge of frustration which was threatening to grow within her under control, as she responded Hatch.

"But last night was not my first-time transitioning. I originally phased when I was just 16 years old - and I can assure you that there was absolutely nothing to be celebrated about it. A man lost his life!"

Keelin shuddered faintly, as she struggled to keep the memory of that fated day from her past buried deep within the small dark corner of her mind that she never allowed herself to visit. The guilt and shame that had been associated with the life she had taken - thus causing her werewolf curse to trigger - had nearly driven the wolf to end her own life on more than one occasion, back when she was just a young teenager still living at home with her family.

The idea of the tragedy inevitably associated with any unfortunate individual's triggering of the wolf curse, actually being celebrated and revered by the members of a pack, genuinely horrified her – a fact which must have currently been displayed on her face, as Hatch's smile faded slightly as her observed her from across the smouldering fire.

"Apologies my dear, I did not mean to upset you – quite the opposite in fact. You have been blessed with a gift that most of us in the pack can only dream of. The ability to take on your true form whenever your heart desires. It is truly a magnificent present, surely endowed by the gods themselves. This is what we celebrated last night, the first time that you opened yourself up to your new gift."

"Yeah well it sure doesn't feel like a gift. Its feels more like a curse," Keelin replied as her eyes fell to the ground, shaking her head lightly as she spoke.

Hatch dropped his hand from Alanna's shoulder, and made his way around the fire remains to stand in front of the brunette wolf.

"I'm sorry you still feel that way Keelin. But hopefully with more time, you will come to understand your true calling better."

"Speaking of not understanding, I was hoping to ask you something Hatch."

The wolf leader raised his eyebrows as one of the dazzling smiles, that Keelin had come learn were never far away from the mans lips, spread across his clean-shaven face.

"Of course, Keelin, you can ask me anything. I am an open book."

"Have you, or any of your pack, ever experienced complete memory loss whilst you have been in your wolf forms?"

The older man's brow creased slightly, as he deliberated the question that she had posed.

"All wolves have parts of their time spent in their true forms missing from their minds once they turn back into their two-legged counterparts. The human mind is fragile, and incapable of fully processing all of the primal emotions and sensations experienced by the force that lives within us. This is why it is only the more "human" feelings that translate from one form to another. Exhilaration, fear, anger – all the extreme emotions that we have already experienced from the time before we first transition."

Keelin shook her head as the pack leader finished his address.

"But that is just it, I have no memories of last night whatsoever - and I assume I must have been roaming around all furry for several hours. No emotions at all, primal or human. The last thing that I remember is removing my ring, and then feeling the intense surge of emotions and fire ravage through my veins – and then that's it. The next thing I can recall is becoming aware of walking through the Bayou this morning, just before meeting Alanna."

She looked at Hatch expectantly, willing him to provide a reasonable explanation to help calm her newly formed anxieties and concerns.

Over the course of the three days that she had spent living amongst and interacting with the Neivera pack, Keelin had managed to regain a certain amount of control over her wolf instincts and hormone surges. Hatch had assured her that this change was more than likely due to being around her own kind once more, and regaining a sense of belonging to a pack. She had learnt that the Neivera people as a whole placed a large emphasis on the sense of family and community, and had the firm belief that wolf concerns and issues should be kept strictly amongst their own kind, spending as minimal interaction with humans and other supernatural beings as possible.

As she had been sat talking with the group on her first full evening spent in their company, most of the members had been shocked to learn that the majority of her adult life had been spent outside of any pack influence, after her own family had been lost. And they had been even further alarmed to discover that she was currently pursuing a relationship with an ancient Viking witch, who's family were comprised mostly of vampires – a snippet of information that Alanna had blurted out to the gathered wolves, much to Keelin's annoyance. There had been an almost unanimous consensus amongst the group that her recent issues with control had more than likely be borne out of the new unnatural connections that she had been forming, combined with a complete lack of wolf connections in her life.

She had of course been reluctant to believe their explanation. As far as she could remember, the change in her control had happened quite abruptly one morning, and not gradually as she would have expected should the pack's theory have been correct. And then of course there was also the small matter that she refused to believe the love she had growing inside of her for Freya could be anything other than beneficial to her mental wellbeing. Her heart had never been so happy, than it was wrapped up in the warmth of the connection they shared.

Keelin had figured it was far more likely that the pain and upset over her current separation from her girlfriend, would be having a negative effect on her ability to control her hormone surges - even despite her best efforts to bury that fresh wound deep in the back of her mind whilst she was currently with the pack.

 _i The look of hurt in Freya's eyes as she has said those last words to her – "too late, you already have" /i_

But as her time spent in isolation with the Neivera pack had progressed, she could not deny that the hormonal surges and lapses in control that she had been experiencing before entering into their company - had now greatly diminished. So much so, that when Hatch had suggested she should give in to the primal urges within and let them morph her body, she had expected to be unable to fully transform, even with the Kyanite ring removed.

 _i Having done so, she was once more filled with unease and anxiety as her emotions_ _ricocheted_ _around inside of her. /i_

"Well, whilst as it is definitely unusual, I wouldn't let it worry you so, Keelin. The fact of the matter is you transformed last night without the influence of a full moon. That is a major change for your wolf-spirit, and it will no doubt take your human mind time to adjust as well as your primal one."

She looked at the reassuring features of the pack leader, and willed herself to believe his words. The fact was her mental health had indeed been through a stressful time over the past week, and if a patient had come to her clinic expressing the same level of anxiety and upset that she had been experiencing lately, Keelin would definitely have been prescribing them some much needed rest and relaxation before their mind imploded upon itself.

 _i So why should she be any different? /i_

"I know all of this has to be a lot to take in, Keelin. Your body and spirit have been going through some incredible changes over the last week or so, and I can imagine it has left you in need of some time to reflect and regenerate your vigour. And as such I have a proposal to make - should you be interested in hearing it of course."

Hatch started to walk away from the remains of the fire in front of his trailer, indicating with a tilt of his head for her to follow him as he went. As she fell in step with the pack leader, the brunette wolf noticed that Alanna started to trail behind them by a few paces, clearly as curious as to what the greying wolf was going to say as much as she.

As Hatch slowly led them through the Neivera camp, he gestured with his hands towards the different family group's that were beginning to make a start on cooking breakfast for their hungry members.

"As you have seen, we are a close knit community here Keelin, and we look out for one another in every aspect of our daily lives. We embrace our wolf heritage and try to honour our ancestors by revering in the great gift that they have graciously bestowed upon us. The structure of our small society allows each of us to grow and prosper in his or her own right, and as such we hardly ever have to deal with any of the violent or aggressive outbreaks that are typically associated to life within a werewolf pack."

Hatch came to a stop as he reached the perimeter edge of the camp's main bulk, and turned to face Keelin with his trademark wide smile. Reaching over, he slowly took both of her hands firmly into his own, as he continued his address.

"I know that you have struggled with your own heritage over the years, and are unfortunate enough to now be the last living member of the Malraux pack-line. No wolf such have to go through life without their family around them, and I think it is a testament to your strong nature and character that you have survived for as long as you have all alone. But you don't have to continue that way my dear."

The man paused, as he seemed to search her eyes for something. Though she could not tell what it was he was looking for, he must have eventually found it, as he nodded quickly to himself before continuing.

"I would like to ask you to join our pack Keelin. Your vibrant and virtuous soul would thrive in our community, and we could continue to help you learn to control all the aspects of your newly enhanced gift. Besides….", the greying wolf laughed, "we could use the presence of a good doctor in our midst. Our current care giver - if you can call him that, bless his soul - struggles to differentiate between where a person's elbows end and their knees begin!"

Keelin felt her mouth drop open slightly, as she looked on at the pack leader in surprise. From somewhere behind and slightly the left of her, she heard a sharp intake of breath - that she assumed came from Alanna who had been listening into their conversation as she had trailed after them. Twisting around quickly to look at her friend, she saw again the same expression that she thought she had caught on the wolf's face earlier. Distress seemed to mar the young woman's features, before the wolf quickly replaced it with a weak smile when she noticed Keelin was watching her.

 _i What was going on with her? /i_

Turning her attention back to Hatch, Keelin's mind whirred with a mess of thoughts and feelings, all crashing into each other at the same time. She could see that he was waiting patiently on a response from her, but she was struggling to make her mouth to connect with her brain at that moment in time.

Seeming to sense the inner confusion that was raging inside of the brunette's mind, Hatch let out a small laugh, as he placed a hand upon her shoulder.

"Relax my new friend, I do not expect an answer off you immediately. Take some time to think over my offer before you come to any definite conclusion. I understand it would be a big change for you, and it should not be something decided upon lightly."

"Ok."

It was the only solid word that she could find in the moment to say - all other coherent speech having apparently left her head for greener grass elsewhere.

"In the meantime, why don't you come and join us tonight, as we head into the city? It appears that the council are holding a street party in the French Quarter for the locals, and they have been kind enough to invite my family and I along. We have tended to shy away from such events in the past, when the towns we have been staying near have thrown such event's. But I am informed by the younger members of my pack that I am in danger of becoming – what was the phrase they used – ah yes, of becoming an old fuddy-duddy!"

Hatch laughed to himself, and Keelin couldn't help but feel a small smile begin to blossom on her own face. The man's positivity for life was infectious, and she had often found herself breaking into a grin around him over the past few days, despite the turbulent time she was going through.

"Can I take that smile as a yes, you'll come?"

Keelin sighed despite the smirk upon her face.

"I don't know Hatch, the last time I spent some time drinking in the Quarter, things didn't end too well for some of the locals. I just don't know if I can be trusted around so many people as of yet."

"Nonsense my friend - you yourself have commented on how better the control over your emotions has been since you have been with my pack. And we will be right there with you, should you feel your grip on your humanity begin to slip."

He quickly patted her on the back as he continued, before turning to make his leave.

"It's what family is for!"


	14. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13.**

 **1.**

"Well well - it seems that the word on the street is correct after all. It appears that you just can't keep away from my city"

Rebekah looked up from the red silk scarf that she had been examining in her hands, to come eye to eye with her former lover, Marcel. His large muscular frame stood filling the open doorway of the clothes store that she had been perusing in, blocking out some of the light that had been filtering through the entrance into the shop.

She raised her eyebrow briefly in Marcel's direction, before returning her attention back down to the smooth garment in an attempt to feign disinterest in the vampire.

"Whilst I know you cherish any opportunity to steal some time with me Marcel, I can assure you that my return has nothing to do with you!"

Placing the scarf back down onto the table of sale-items in front of her, she started to make her way over to a rack of clothing items, lined up against the far wall of the store.

"I am simply here for a visit with my darling niece, and can assure you I will be out of your precious city by morning."

Marcel pushed away from leaning against the doorframe, and started to slowly make his way around the shop, idly touching various garments as he passed them by. Rebecca detected the familiar scent of sweetened spiced aftershave lining the vampire's neck, which was subtly mixed in with the light fragrance of his own perspiration. Twisting her body slightly away from the approaching King of New Orleans, the original closed her eyes in an attempt to prevent her ex from seeing the involuntary dilution of her pupils that had occurred.

 _i She hated the effect that the man still managed to have on her. /i_

"Come now Rebekah, we both know that you are happy to see me really. I can practically smell the heat radiating off of you!"

Gritting her teeth together to prevent herself from saying something to the vampire that would no doubt get both herself and her brothers into bother, the Original turned quickly back around to face her demons.

"Is there something I can actually help you with Love, or are you just here to annoy me with your inane pointless chatter?"

Marcel laughed as he came to a standstill in front of his ex-lover, and shook his head lightly in jest.

"Now Rebekah, no need to get testy. I was actually just on my way to see your brothers at the compound, but then I saw you in here pretending that you were actually going to pay for something instead of compel your way into its possession. So I figured that you could relay some information onto Klaus for me instead."

Rebekah stood looking at the vampire waiting for him to continue, but he seemed to be content just smirking at her as he appraised her form.

 _i Patience had never been one of her virtues. /i_

"Well bloody well spit it out then, I haven't got all day. Some of us more sophisticated types have a party to prepare for!"

Marcel laughed again, clearly amused by the Original's unease.

"Of course, where are my manners."

His face slowly changed into a more serious tone as he began to relay his message.

"Could you please inform Klaus that I have had some of my guys keep an eye on the Church where Vincent has been holding his supposed coven meetings recently, and I don't like what they have been reporting back to me. Most of the people who have been going to and from the place haven't been witches at all, but vampires."

Rebekah shrugged, in an attempt to make the vampire think that she was uninterested.

"Is there a point to your tedious tale Marcel, as I do have a busy schedule of shopping to get back to."

Sighing, the vampire continued.

"The point is that none of my people have been have been anywhere near the church, other than the boys I sent to observe and report back to me. So these vamps are new. Plus there was something else that didn't seem to add up. My boy Carlos said that one of the hooded figures that he saw entering the Church a few times was neither a witch nor a vampire. He said the person reeked of wolf!"

Rebekah's eyes flicked up to meet the vampires, as she involuntarily reacted to the news.

"A wolf? Did he get a look at their face?"

"No unfortunately not. Now the only wolf that I know who's been hanging around in my city recently, is your sister's girl, Keelin."

"I seriously doubt it would have been her love. She's hardly the type for going to give confession at Vincent's grubby little church!"

"Well see that's what I would have thought too. Only the other day, my boy Josh tells me that Freya's girl had been in his bar, causing all kinds of havoc. Her and some other woman she was drinking with created a fair bit of damage, and threatened a few of my vampires before they were made to leave. "

Rebekah raised her eye-brows at the news.

"So that gets me thinking, that maybe Keelin isn't as good-girl harmless as I first pegged her for."

"Don't be so bloody ridiculous! If there is something untoward going on in Vincent's squalid cubbyhole, I can pretty much guarantee that Keelin won't have anything to do with it. It must have been some other wolf that your pathetic errand boys think they saw!"

Marcel gave Rebekah a warning glance, as he turned to leave the store.

"Careful Rebekah, my patience for your insolence only stretches so far."

As the vampire reached the stores entrance once more, he turned back to address her quickly before disappearing into the daylight outside.

"Just let your brothers know that I intend to investigate this further myself. Vincent and his coven are all going to be busy this evening at the Mardi Gras, so I am going to pay his Church a visit and see what I can find. If Klaus isn't too busy plotting his next bid to take over my city, perhaps he could find time to join me there."

Rebekah rolled her eyes at the commanding tone the vampire had taken on, and waved her hand dismissively in his direction.

"Best run along now love, I think I can hear your royal subjects forgetting how to breathe in your absence."

 **2.**

Dozens of candles with their wicks burning bright formed a large circle in the middle of a large abandoned church, causing a dimmed flickering light to wash over the empty front row pews. Just within the first ring of tall white tapers was a second large circle formed from crystal salt that had been meticulously poured so as not a single grain was lying out of formation.

Completing the configuration, at the centre of the enclosed rings, knelt a thinly framed blonde haired woman whose head was cowed low. The human's unfocused eyes lay directed at the cold stone floor of the building, as her naked frame swayed gently from side to side in the still air.

The Spirit looked down at the pitiful being stooped before her, as a sneer pulled across her host body's face. The hour was drawing close for the final stages of her ploy to be executed - and there was just the small matter of this simple transfiguration spell to perform, before she could stand back and watch all the pieces of her puzzle fall into place.

Looking up at the handful of her followers who were standing with their heads bowed, in a semi-circle surrounding the far half of the enclosed sphere, the Hollow addressed them in an impatient tone – eager to be finished with this particular act of her performance.

"Well, do you have the ingredients that I require?"

A tall broad-shouldered vampire raised his head and held out a dirty, brown cloth bag in front of his frame. From the various bulges that were being pushed out in all directions, the Spirit could tell that the sack was full with a bounty for her use.

"Yes, your worship. The young wolf dropped off the required items this morning. Everything seems to be as expected."

Motioning the man to come forward, the Spirit nodded her head in acknowledgement.

"Good! Now tip the contents of the sack out onto the floor, next to the girl – and be careful not to break the circles connection! I only have so much power stored from the sacrifices provided last night. I cannot afford for this to go wrong."

Bowing his head once more, the burly immortal emptied the cloth bags contents into a heap next to the entranced woman, before stepping back into his original position with the others.

Drawing in a deep breath, the Spirit began to dip into the shallow well of magical energy that she had collected during the previous evening's ceremony, and draw upon its presence. Forcing the power through her host body's veins and out towards the naked girl in front of her, she began to chant the words of a spell over and over in repetition, raising her voice in volume as the seconds ticked by.

"Accipe sacrificium speciem sepultae…. Accipe sacrificium speciem sepultae…. Accipe sacrificium speciem sepultae…. Accipe sacrificium speciem sepultae…."

A small wind picked up within the enclosed sphere of salt – gentle at first, but slowly building in strength as it caused the flickering flames of the surrounding candles to dance back and forth in a fit of frenzied mania. As the torrent of air rapidly began to reach a crescendo, it shifted in position to engulf the swaying woman within its hysteria, causing the long blonde locks adorning her head to be swept up into a blustery ballet of madness.

A loud scream suddenly emitted from the lips of the naked figure knelt on the floor, filling the church with its piercing sound as the woman's hands flew up to clutch at her face. The flames of the candles that surrounded the shrieking woman suddenly flared up into the air causing the light in the room to intensely brighten– before the flickers of fire diminished completely, leaving the room completely cloaked in darkness save the few rays of sunlight that made their way through the tall, grime covered stained glassed windows.

Panting heavily in her exhausted host body, the Spirit forced her head to rise so that she could examine the results of her labour.

"Well…", she wheezed, looking at the now silent woman who remained knelt on the ground in front of her, "Don't just remain stooped there, show me your face!"

The blonde woman slowly raised up from her cowed position, and stretched out her back muscles as she elevated her gaze to meet that of her god.

"Ha!", the Spirit exclaimed with rapidly diminishing energy. "It's perfect! Jonathan?"

"Yes, your worship?"

A small framed, lame legged man stepped forward from the group of followers still gathered in front of the Spirit.

"Nothing can go wrong tonight! Make sure that you keep a close watch on the executor. Everyone knows the price that

they will pay should they not go through with my instructions, but I need you there to make sure they don't forget it. I

myself shall be otherwise engaged."

The small weasel like man nodded his head in agreeance.

The spirit forced a cruel smile to spread across her host body's features.

"In a few hours-time, I will finally be rid of the young Hope Mikaelson for good. And her wretched family won't even see it

Coming!"

 **3.**

"Domus est, salvum atque una…..Domus est, salvum atque una…..Domus est, salvum atque una….."

As Hayley reached the top of the old wooden staircase that lead onto the top floor of Freya's bell-tower, she could hear the familiar sound of the Mikaelson Witch chanting her way through a mystical sounding spell. Not wanting to disturb the blonde whilst she was in the middle of her craft, the hybrid turned away from the main section of the open area, and slowly began to walk around the adjoining room, whilst idly taking in its many contents.

Numerous objects lay strewn around the space, some of which she estimated must have remained there untouched for many years, given the thick layer of dust that had encased itself around them. Old wooden crates - some broken and some still in their complete form - stood stacked against the walls of the tower, whilst various types of stools and small tables cluttered the floor around them. In the midst of the scattered confusion stood a small, well-worn cot-bed, that Hayley knew often served as the sleeping place for the eldest Mikaelson, despite her large comfy king-size bed that resided back at the family compound.

Hayley knew that the witch was fiercely dedicated to the work that she performed here in the Bell-Tower, and that it often involved ensuring the protection of the Mikaelson family in one form or another. But the hybrid still couldn't fathom how her daughter's aunt managed to survive day-to-day on so little sleep gained on the tiny and uncomfortable looking mattress that currently stood in front of her. At the very least it had to be playing havoc on the woman's back muscles, as her body struggled to keep itself from falling onto the floor whilst she slept! Thankfully however, now that Keelin was in the witch's life, she at least spent a little more time in the bigger bed at the compound.

i _Though judging from the sounds that the hybrid's enhanced hearing often detected drifting from that side of the family home in the middle of the night, she doubted that the time was spent getting any extra sleep!_ /i

"Hayley, is everything ok?"

The hybrid turned her head from the cot to see that Freya had finished her chants, and was now walking slowly across the wooden floorboards towards her as she wiped what appeared to be the remnants of chalk dust from her hands with a small cloth.

"Hey, yeah everything is fine – I am just here to drag you away from this tower and take you shopping! I think that you are definitely overdue some retail therapy, and what better excuse is there to splash out on a new outfit than a New Orleans street party!"

The witch smiled weakly at her, as she began to roll down the sleeves of the purple top that she was wearing.

"Thank you for the offer, but I really need to carry on with my work here. The spell to protect Hope from danger is now complete, but….."

"You've placed a spell on Hope?" Hayley interrupted as she frowned, curiosity spiked at the mention of her daughter's name.

"Not so much on her, as around her. Don't worry, it's just a small barrier enchantment to ensure that if anyone outside of our family tries to get too close to her, they will be met with a force that blocks their way. I figured that since she will no doubt be running around enjoying herself at the carnival tonight, it would be wise to have a little extra protection on her side."

The hybrid nodded slowly, as she realised the benefits of the witch's efforts.

"Thank you, Freya. It will certainly help to ease both mine and Klaus's minds."

"Anything to ensure the well-being of my little niece," the witch said with a genuine smile.

"So why don't you let me now try and improve the well-being of her Aunt! Come shopping with me, please? I'm sure that whatever other spells you have to perform can wait until after this evening's festivities. Besides, the state of your wardrobe recently is a far direr a situation than any evil spirit could possibly bestow upon us!"

Freya laughed, as she slowly began to nod her head at the hybrid.

"I guess I could use a new…."

The witch was suddenly interrupted by the musical sound of Hayley's phone ringing out, from its concealment somewhere within her long, fitted jacket. Pulling the device out from an inside pocket, the hybrid quickly checked the screen and saw that it was Hope's grandmother, Mary, attempting to get hold of her.

"Strange - Mary never calls me. Not unless it's something urgent. Would you excuse me a minute?"

"Yeah of course", the witch replied, as she turned to make her way back towards the main open space of the bell-tower.

Clearing her throat, Hayley tapped on the screen of her phone to accept the incoming call, and greeted the old woman with an obvious edge of concern lacing her voice.

"Mary, is everything ok?"

i "Hayley, I think we may have a situation in the Bayou." /i

"What kind of situation?"

i "Well I was just out walking on my usual early afternoon perimeter check, and I've stumbled across quite an unsettling scene" /i

"Go on?"

i "It appears that at some point last night, someone, or several someone's were severely injured – maybe even killed - in a scuffle with what I can only assume was a wolf" /i

"A wolf attack? Are you sure?"

i "Yes I'm fairly sure, there are wolf paw prints all around the scene - some imprinted in the mud, and others embossed in the various pools of blood that are slowly soaking into the ground. And Hayley, there is so much blood - all of it with the distinct smell of human pheromones." /i

Hayley began to slowly pace around the bell-tower, as she tried to process the information that the wolf elder was telling her.

"Can you see any bodies?"

i "No, it appears that whoever were injured or killed here, were dragged off through the vegetation, in the direction of the water's edge. I've not followed the tracks yet, as I wanted to let you know before I investigated it any further." /i

"Do you think it could have been one the work of one of the new pack that's staying in the Bayou?", the hybrid asked.

i "Well that's just the thing Hayley - I thought that too at first. But then it occurred to me that last night wasn't a full moon evening. And unlike ourselves, Hatch's people are not evolved. They will not have been able to turn." /i

"And the paw prints definitely belong to a wolf?"

i "Yes, I've lived in the Bayou long enough to know our kinds mark when I see it. Whatever caused the carnage evident here, was definitely a werewolf." /i

"Ok. If you give me half an hour, I'll be there. I just need to….."

i "No child, there is no need for you to rush out here just yet. I am going to go out to the Neivera's camp and see if Hatch or his people heard or saw anything unusual last night. I'll give you a call again once I've spoken to them." /i

"Ok Mary, but do me a favour and be careful. If there is a new, unknown enhanced wolf in the area that has been hunting people, we don't know what their intentions are. Stay alert ok, and call me as soon as you find anything out. I don't want you facing anything alone."

i "Of course my child. This old wolf knows her limits." /i

A clicking sound in her ear, signified to Hayley that the wolf elder had disconnected their call. She stood for a second or two looking at the phone in her hand, contemplating the implications of the information that Mary had shared.

"Everything ok?"

Hayley turned to see that Freya had joined her once more, with curiosity and a hint of concern evident on her face.

"I'm not too sure. Mary seems to think that some people were viciously attacked last night in the Bayou – by a wolf."

A frown formed on the witch's face, as she reacted to the information.

"A wolf? But it wasn't a full moon last night was it? I thought that you, Klaus and Mary were the only ones still living in New Orleans that have the ability to transform at will?"

"So did I. And Mary assures me that the new pack that are currently staying in the Bayou are not evolved in the way our pack is."

Hayley's brow creased further, as a new unsettling thought emerged in her mind. She turned to face the witch, and lowered her tone to tentatively address her friend.

"Freya, have you spoken to Keelin at all since this morning?"

The witch's eyes quickly narrowed as she looked at her niece's mother with newly formed suspicion.

"What exactly are you implying Hayley?"

The hybrid quickly raised her hands, in a calming manner.

"I'm not implying anything - there's no need to go getting all scary Mikaelson on me. I just think with everything that has been going on with Keelin's wolf urges recently, we should make sure that she's ok and not putting herself in any danger. Mary said that the incident had happened close to the Neivera encampment, which is where Keelin is currently staying right? It might be that she heard or saw something that could help shed some light on what happened to cause all of the blood that Mary has discovered."

Freya continued to frown at the hybrid, as she contemplated her words.

"Please, just call her? At the very least you can break the ice and check to see how she's been doing over the past couple of days."

Sighing, the witch raised her arms and gently rubbed her temples with her hands - as she nodded to the hybrid.

"Ok, I'll try and contact her. But first, can we get out of here? I suddenly feel the need for a stiff drink or two!"

 **4.**

Mary quickly wrinkled her nose, as she lowered her head down closer to the damp muddy ground, in an attempt to examine one of the numerous blood stains that were strewn across the area closer.

It was human blood alright, and fresh too. It couldn't have been more than 12 hours since the liquid had been spilt from its poor owner's body, as hardly any clotting had taken place across the surface of the various pools.

Raising herself up back into a standing position, the elder attempted to gage just how many people had been injured in the apparent attack, by using her enhanced sense of smell to differentiate between the several dissimilar pheromone particles in the air. She quickly detected maybe five, or six separate coppery scents filtering into her nose.

i What atrocity had happened here….. /i

"It seems that you have stumbled upon quite the mess here!"

Mary spun around quickly as the sudden presence of a male voice made her practically jump out of her aging skin.

"Oh my, you made me jump! You should know better than to sneak up on an old woman like that!". She let out a small relieved laugh, slightly embarrassed by her initial fright.

"My apologies, my dear. It had not been my intention to scare you. Though I fear my actual intentions may leave a somewhat worse taste in your mouth"

Before the aging wolf had time to process the implications of the words spoken, her eyes just had time to register the blurred motion of a long dark object being thrust towards her head, before pain quickly exploded across her right temple as a hard blow impacted with her skull.

The elder felt the world begin to slip out of focus, as her legs gave way from underneath her. As the pain cutting through her head began to intensify, the wolf just managed to registered the faint sound of words reaching her ears from what seemed like a far off distance, before darkness completely engulfed her.

"Such a pitty - I had hoped that you could be spared."


	15. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14.** **1.** Freya stood in the familiarity of her bedroom within the Mikaelson family compound, leaning against the far wall of the room as she gazed out over the New Orleans sky line. In one hand she nursed a crystal tumbler that was currently half full with one of her brothers' finest Bourbon's – and in the other she held her cell phone, who's screen was presently lit-up and displaying the contact details for her girlfriend, Keelin. The witch had remained in the same position for the past half an hour, as she had alternated between staring at the phone number on the 5-inch display screen of her mobile device – and looking at the sky that stretched out above the French Quarter's buildings, which had been slowly darkening as early evening began to descended upon the city. As time had progressed, the noise filtering through the open bedroom window from the streets below had steadily increased in volume as the crowds of people attending Vincent's Mardi Gras grew in numbers. The sound of both children and adults laughing and calling out to each other in joy, played in accompaniment to the various discordant musical melodies, that were being emitted from the fairground rides and stalls erected along the sidewalks lining the roads. Despite the obvious merriment of the street party that was beginning to unfold outside, Freya's mood remained as dark as a moonless sky, as she continued to overthink her current task at hand. The witch had promised Hayley earlier in the day that she would call Keelin to find out if the wolf knew anything about a seemingly violent disturbance that had occurred in the Bayou during the course of the previous evening - and after returning to the family compound following a quick shopping session with the hybrid, Freya had come up to the solidarity of her bedroom in the pretence of making good on that agreement. That however, had been over a few hours ago now - and the witch had still not been able to bring herself to press "call" on the contact page that had been displayed on her phone screen the whole of that time. She had instead been finding numerous mundane chores within her bedroom to throw herself into – such as alphabetically reorganising the magical grimoires that lined the shelves fixed on the room's walls, and changing the bed linen that lined the mattress and pillows sitting on top of her king-size crib. These were tasks that the witch of course never usually took upon herself to perform, preferring to leave such dreary routine responsibilities to one of the numerous housemaids employed by the Mikaelson family to take care of the maintenance of their sizeable home. But suddenly faced with the duty of having to call the one person whose contact she had been actively avoiding over the past few days, Freya had found herself looking for any odd job that she could undertake, just to delay the inevitable. If Freya was completely honest with herself, the desire to hear her lover's soothing voice, had been gnawing away at the witch constantly, like a determined termite working its way slowly through her gut. And there had been more than one occasion when she had lay on the cot in the Bell-Tower exhausted after a full day of reading grimoires, and brought up Keelin's contact page on her cell phone – only to hold her hand hovered over the "call" button for several minutes, before putting the device away without initiating the call. But the deep rooted fear of rejection that thrived within her thanks to centuries of living without the presence of love or affection, coupled with the simmering anger that had been bubbling just below the surface of her mind due to Keelin's obvious fascination with the new wolf in town, Alanna - had prevented her from reaching out to the wolf. Of course what Hayley has said to her only the day before, had completely made sense to Freya. She knew that Keelin must have been devastated with herself for losing control and injuring the witch's back. The brunette was very sensitive when it came to her wolf nature, and had a deep routed hatred of the violent heritage that she had been born into. To know that she had injured Freya in such an obvious animalistic and savage manner, will have caused her girlfriend great emotional distress. But it was the wolf's blossoming love for Freya - that Hayley claimed had been obvious for all to see for many weeks now - that the witch was having a hard time putting faith in, since their forced separation. Because at the end of the day, why would the wolf want to love her – a vicious and callous person who had done unspeakable things in the name of family, and who had been emotionally damaged beyond repair many centuries before this one. What could such an honest and virtuous soul such as Keelin feasibly see as desirable in the cruel and malicious woman that Freya had become? Hayley had asked how Freya could conceivably imagine that Keelin would be romantically interested in the new wolf, Alanna – but the truth of the matter was, how could she possibly believe anything else?! Keelin having an attraction to another young and happy soul, who shared the heritage of her birth and her love for life - made far more sense than the wolf wanting to be with someone as dark and damaged as Freya was. As such, it had been all too easy for the witch to imagine her girlfriend wrapped in the arms of the smaller, jovial wolf. And it was an image that had been haunting her mind solidly for a good few days now. Sighing, Freya took a long pull of whiskey from the crystal tumbler in her hand, and winced slightly as the brown liquid burnt an acrid path down her tender throat. i _She could not put it off any longer – she had to call the wolf, for Hayley's sake if not for her own_. /i Finally pressing the luminous green button on her cell phone's screen, the witch took another deep swallow of bourbon from her glass, and raised the mobile device up to her ear to listen to the menacing dial tone ring out. It did not take long for the familiar sound of the Keelin's voice to flow out of the cell phone's speaker, causing Freya's stomach to erupt into a thousand nervous butterflies, all beating their wings fiercely against her fragile heart. i _"Hello?"_ /i Freya felt her mouth completely dry-up, as the ability to speak appeared to completely flee her mind. One second passed, then another – those then bleeding into several more. i _"Freya, is that you?"_ /i The witch closed her eyes and forcibly willed herself to quickly grow a backbone. "Hey…yeah it's me." It was the most that she could manage at that moment in time – and it had taken all of her determination just to force those small four words past her stuttering lips. i _"Is everything ok_? /i Again silence fell as the witch battled an internal war within herself. i " _Freya, you are starting to worry me – what's happened?"_ /i "Sorry. Nothing has happened, don't worry. It's just…..it's just really good to hear your voice." The witch could have sworn that she could hear her girlfriend's trademark dazzling smile form on the wolf's face. i _"It's good to hear you too! Are you ok, have you been looking after yourself?"_ /i As her mind quickly replayed the past few days spent stood in the Bell-Tower, ignoring her body's frequent outcries for the basic necessities such as food, water, and sleep – the witch decided that a small white lie was definitely in order at this moment in time. "Yeah I'm ok, I've been taking it easy, you know." Keelin laughed quickly on the other end of the line. i _"That's just the problem Freya, I do know you. And I can only dread to imagine how much of a lie that last claim was!"_ /i The eldest Mikaelson blushed, as she quickly tried to think of how to respond - words once again failing her. Seeming to sense the internal struggle that the witch was enduring, Keelin continued. i _"I've missed you, you know. I mean things have been pretty busy here and I've hardly had a minute to myself to breath since I arrived. But I've missed your company dreadfully."_ /i The heavy weight that had been dragging down on Freya's chest seemed to marginally lighten in its burden, as the tentative words of her lover washed over her. Keelin's voice had almost seemed timid, as she had made her confession. Was it possible that the wolf was genuinely missing her? "Has it helped being there? Are you….are you feeling more like yourself?" This time it was the wolf's turn to pause, seemingly searching for the right words to convey the current situation over to her girlfriend. "Keelin?" i " _Sorry, it's just kind of hard to explain really. It's taking some adjusting to being back in the middle of a pack-mentality. I'd forgotten how set in their ways and judgemental wolves can be. But yes, I seem to have my animal impulses in control more." /i_ "But they're treating you ok, right? Tell me if they're not Keelin, because I swear to god I will…." i " _Honey calm down - they are treating me just fine! It's more me that's the issue, not them. They have been nothing but welcoming of me. In fact Hatch has even gone as far to ask if I want to join their pack." /i_ The witch's breath caught, as she tried to process what Keelin had just revealed to her. "Join them? What…." Her voice trailed off as she suddenly heard a different accent come over the line, as someone spoke to her girlfriend in the background. It was a slightly higher, female tone – one that the blonde recognised as belonging to the wolf Alanna, after she had committed her voice to memory on the afternoon that they had briefly met in Rousseau's, when Freya had broken up Keelin's bar fight. Listening intently, she heard the younger wolf ask Keelin if she was ready, as it was time for them to go. i " _Yes I'll be right there - Freya I'm sorry but I have to go. Some of the pack members are heading into the Quarter tonight for the street party that Vincent is throwing, and I have been asked to accompany them." /i_ A mixture of emotions ran through the witch's body, as she tried desperately to make sense of her feelings. The call suddenly felt like it was slipping far out of her control, and she hadn't even begun to say all the things to her wolf that she had wanted to. "Um….well can I see you tonight, at the Mardi Gras? We're taking Hope along to it, as it will be the first time she will have seen a great New Orleans carnival. Even Rebecca has…." i _"I'm sorry honey but I really do need to go. We'll see about later, ok? Hatch and Alanna seem to think that I should just remain amongst the pack tonight during my first time back in the outside world - just in case I… well you know. But I'll call you later, ok?"_ /i "But Keelin, I….." The other wolf's voice again, this time seeming louder and closer to her girlfriend's phone – telling Keelin to get a move on, and that it was time to have some actual, proper fun. Freya scowled as she listened to the other woman's words. If she didn't know better, she'd have said the younger wolf was mocking her presence on the phone. She heard Keelin laugh light-heartedly, before her voice came back flowing through the line. i _"Ok, Ok, I'm coming. Freya I'll call you later ok. Give Hope a cuddle from me. I Love you."_ /i "Keelin, wait…" A beeping sound signalled to the witch that the line had been disconnected - and her girlfriend was gone. Freya lowered the cell phone from her ear, and stared at the now blank screen with her mouth slightly ajar. A barrage of questions rushed with lightning speed through her mind, as she tried to make sense of the fleeting call with her girlfriend. _i Had Keelin just implied that she was going to join the wolf pack? Would that mean that she would be leaving the city, and her behind? Were the new wolves trying to convince the brunette that contact with anyone other than her own kind was prohibited? Why was Keelin so reluctant to meet up with her tonight? Was it Alanna's influence that was causing….. /i_ "Freya, are you ready?" Rebekah's voice shouting up from the compound's courtyard harshly broke through the witch's racing thoughts, causing her to jump and lose grip on her cell phone. She cursed lightly to herself as the device clattered down onto the wooden floor of her bedroom, causing a small crack to appear on the top corner of the glass screen. _Dammit, that's the second time this month!_ "Yes I'm ready, I'll be right there!" she yelled back down to her younger sister, as she picked up her cell and downed the remaining bourbon from the crystal tumbler. _Was she though - ready? For the possibility of seeing Keelin enjoying the carnival with Alanna, instead of her?_ Freya had the haunting feeling that the answer to that question was not going to be pretty. ***************************************** **2.** "Why my darling Hope, you look simply exquisite!" Whilst Freya quickly descended the sweeping stone staircase into the compound's courtyard, she watched as her brother Elijah knelt down onto one knee as he appraised their nieces outfit. The youngest Mikaelson was beaming at her uncle with a large warm smile, as she clearly cherished the compliment from the vampire. "Thank you, Uncle Elijah. I picked my best outfit for the carnival!" "I can certainly see that," replied the suited Original, as he opened up his arms and engulfed the young witch into a large hug. Freya reached the bottom of the staircase, just as her niece was pulling away from her Uncle's embrace. The young witch turned in response to the sound of the eldest Mikaelson's arrival, and yet another large smile spread across the girl's innocent face. "Aunty Freya, are you coming with us too?" She crouched down and held open her arms as the small witch ran towards her and into the waiting hug. As the blonde embraced the girl close, she laughed with delight. If there was always one thing always guaranteed to lighten her heart, even just for a second or two – it was her niece's pure, unconditional love. "Of course I am, I wouldn't want to miss my delightful niece throw-up for the first time on a Ferris Wheel!" "Freya!" The witch attempted to turn her head awkwardly whilst still in the embrace with Hope, to see Hayley entering into the courtyard from the direction of their family kitchens. "Don't scare her before we've even got out there!" Hope quickly pulled back from her aunt's cuddle, and stared into her green eyes with incredulous wonder. "Will there really be a Ferris Wheel, Aunty Freya?" Before the witch had time to reply, the young girl span around on her heels and began running over to her mother, who was approaching the rest of the Mikaelson family as they stood gathering to leave in the middle of the courtyard. "Mummy, I want to go on the Ferris Wheel first! Please can I? Please?" Hayley laughed as Hope skidded to a halt in front of her, just in time to prevent herself from colliding into the hybrid. "Ok, I think someone needs to calm down a little, or they are going to be worn out before we even step outside of the compound!" Freya continued to smile to herself as she watched her Niece interact with the rest of the family. The innocence of childhood was something that she herself had never had the opportunity to experience, after Dahlia had stolen away her virtue at a very early age. So watching the youngest Mikaelson grow up surrounded by an abundance of love and adoration, often nearly brought the witch to tears of joy for the girl. "She's quite the little cherub, isn't she?" Freya turned her head to the left to meet her younger sister's smile, as Rebekah came to stand next to her. "That she is!" Rebekah's gaze shifted from watching Hope, to gently rest on Freya's green eyes instead. Her look of happiness was quickly replaced with one of mild concern. "And how about you love? Are you holding up ok?" Freya's smile departed, as she was swiftly reminded of her own current issues. "I'll be better once we get out, and I can find a bottle of tequila with my name on it!" Rebekah nodded to the witch, as a small smirk played on her lips. "Why don't you and I go and see what delightfully wicked mischief we can get ourselves into for the evening. It will be lovely to have a night spent drinking with my family, without having to worry about any nasty little surprises. Speaking of which…." The younger sister twisted her body in the direction of Klaus and Elijah, who were presently swinging Hope between them playfully, each with one of the little witch's arms in their grasped in their hands. "Nik, I had the displeasure of speaking with the Buffoon of New Orleans earlier." Freya watched as Klaus gently placed his daughter back on the ground, before walking up to stand beside his sister with a mischievous grin on his face. "Marcellus always was a slave to your charms, sister." Rebekah shook her head quickly in feigned distaste. "Yes well, he wanted me to relay a message onto you. Something about him going to investigate Vincent's seedy little church whilst the man was otherwise occupied at the Quarter's festivities tonight. He asked if you would join him." Klaus cocked his head to the side as he appeared to contemplate the request made by Marcel. Freya could see that her brother was torn - between wanting to dig deeper into the growing mystery currently surrounding Vincent, and getting to see his daughter have fun at her first "Big Easy" Mardis Gras. "I will go and aid Marcellus, Nicklaus." Elijah was still entertaining Hope as he addressed his sibling. "You should be here, enjoying this night with your family." The Original hybrid looked to consider the offer for a few seconds, before he bowed his head quickly in Elijah's direction. "Thank you, brother. That is most gracious of you." Klaus began to walk towards the Compound's outer gates, before spinning around with his arms wide open to address his family. "Shall we, then - let us go and be merry!" ************************************************* **3.** Keelin casually walked alongside Alanna, as their group made their way through the streets of New Orleans, in the direction of the French Quarter. The early evening's air was fresh and crisp, as the heat from the day slowly bled away into the various nooks and crannies of the city's landscape. The wolf drew in a long deep breath, as she appreciated the change in scent from that of the damp and murky Bayou. Whilst she could understand the advantages that being so close to nature and the open wilderness in the Bayou brought for a wolf, she had definitely been missing the fusion of rich and vibrant scents that only being in a bustling city could bring. _i She guessed that it was probably an indication that she was a city girl at heart, despite her wild heritage_. /i As the Neivera pack progressively advanced along the sidewalk, Keelin noticed that they were not the only group of people heading towards the heart of the metropolis's Blues and Jazz scene. Various clusters of festival goers were scattered along the streets, all gradually heading in the same direction as the wolves. Large families with excited children treaded the same tarmac as young couples strolling hand-in-hand, all with smiles and laughter flowing freely from their faces. As Keelin observed one pair of would be lovers that seemed particularly captivated by staring into each other's eyes as they strolled - she felt a small pang of longing rush through her stomach, as her mind inevitably turned to the object of her own affections - Freya. She had been pleasantly surprised to hear from the witch earlier - especially considering the circumstances in which they had parted several days ago. The look of hurt and anger that had taken root upon Freya's face as Keelin had tried to explain to her that spending some time with the Neivera pack was not only for her own benefit, but for the sake of the witch's safety too – had almost broke the wolf's heart. She was falling deeply in love with the Viking born blonde - and the idea that something she herself was willingly doing could be causing hurt and suffering to the witch, was almost an unbearable burden for her to shoulder. But the memory of the horrific wounds that had marred the witch's back as a result of the wolf's own loss of control during their night of passion, had weighed too heavily on her conscious for her to be able ignore it. She had had no choice but to put some space between them, whilst she tried to regain control over her animal traits – for the wolf knew that she would never be able to pull herself back from the bleak depths of oblivion, should the witch ever be permanently harmed by her doing. _i But the pain that she had caused the witch by leaving the city, had never stopped playing on her mind regardless. /i_ Freya had seemed nervous on the call, and Keelin could tell instantly that the witch had not been taking care of herself – tones of exhaustion and fatigue had been seeping through into the blonde's voice in droves. But the angst that had laced her lovers voice in their last parting had not been present, and that alone had taken a huge weight off the wolf's heart. It had just been a shame that they had not had more time to speak. Keelin regretted that she had needed to cut the call short - and something kept on niggling in the back of her mind telling the wolf that Freya had wanted to discuss something of importance with her - other than just their mutual missing of each other's company. _She would try and grab a few minutes away from the pack later tonight to see the witch. A couple of moments on her own would be safe enough, surely?_ "Wow, now that's what a carnival should look like!" Alanna's voice dragged Keelin out of her thought's, and she looked up to see that they were about to turn onto the main street that ran through the Quarter. Within a few more footsteps, the wolf's nose was bombarded with a flood of sweet and sticky smells, signifying the presences of numerous different food stalls up ahead. Cotton Candy, popcorn, toffee apples, burgers and hotdogs – scents that sent the wolf's taste buds into a watery overdrive as her mouth filled with saliva in anticipation of the fairground food. As her eyes focused down the long road ahead, Keelin's senses were treated to a colourful canvas of flashing lights and brash, bold signs – all beckoning people to come and marvel at the wonderous party upfront. Numerous fairground rides of all types and descriptions lined the two long sidewalks that the street intercut between. At first glance, Keelin could see a large Ferris Wheel, with its multi-coloured carts carrying cheering patrons high into the sky above the New Orleans buildings. Next to the wheel was an old-fashioned merry-go-round, which was outfitted with several colourful stallions turning around on an endless circular track, as they awaited their next charges. Their manes seemed to waft against an unseen breeze, and their wooden mouths were forever fixed in a eager smile to please. Across the street from the merry-go-round looked to be what Keelin figured was a large Fun-House of sorts, that took up a good several square yards of space. Its structure was haphazard in shape, with sharp and twisting corners jutting out into the night sky. She could just make out a large sign nailed onto the nearside wall of the building, which read like a young boy's wish-list of items to decorate their bedrooms with: i _FABIOS FABUOLOUS FUNHOUSE!_ /i i _Deceiving doors into fantasy worlds_./i i _Freaky floors that shake your soul /_ i i _Misleading Mirrors to confuse your brain_ /i i _Scary sounds to terrify your mind_ /i i _Come inside – you'll never (want to) leave again_ /i Keelin laughed to herself as she continued to scan the scene ahead. There had to be at least a dozen more stalls and rides leading further into the quarter, as all the colours of the rainbow flashed brightly in the night sky from their numerous bulbs and lanterns. In between the two parallel lines of arcades, the wolf could see that the road itself was full of street performers and artists, as they happily displayed their craft for the crowds passing by. Jugglers could be seen throwing balls, skittles, and even sticks alight with flame, high up into the air above their heads, for them to then come tumbling back down to earth at alarming speeds. Keelin could just make out a woman sat atop a unicycle in the distance, who was seemingly holding onto her precarious balance by a fine thread as she jutted back and forth on the one wheeled contraption. "Bet I can win a stuffed wolf quicker than you can!" Keelin turned to look at the wooden stall which Alanna had been pointing at whilst she spoke. It appeared to be a shooting gallery, with three pellet airguns lined up across its front - poised and ready for action. On a shelf at the back of the wooden structure were numerous dented old tin cans, all stood to attention and awaiting their fate. The walls and canopy of the hut were line with colourful stuffed toys of varying type and size, enticing passers by to come and try their luck at becoming their new owners. Hanging at the centre of the sweeping awning, were a pair of large stuffed teddy's fashioned to look like cute silver wolf cubs – and they had clearly captured the attention of the excitable Neivera member. "Come on, I'll shoot a tin can down just for you", laughed Alanna, as she smiled gleefully at Keelin whilst grabbing her hand. The amused wolf was just about to let herself be led by Alanna over to the fairground stall, when they were both halted by a tall figure suddenly stepping into their path. As Keelin pulled her hand from the younger wolf's and reeled backwards so as not to completely collide with the newcomer, she raised her eyes and instantly recognised the man who had crossed their way. "Vincent! You really need to start watching where you walk better – that's twice you've practically taken me out now." The thinly framed New Orleans Witch laughed light heartedly, as he raised his hands up in an apologetic gesture. "Please do accept my sincerest apologies, Keelin - once again I find myself quite literally bowled over by your magnetism." The witch let his eyes wander appraisingly over the wolf group as a whole, before he continued with his address. "I am actually here to formally greet the great Neivera pack - whom I have been hearing so much about over the past few weeks. Welcome, all of you, to our humble city!" A stocky male to the left of Keelin took a step forward and extended out his hand to shake that of Vincent's. Keelin observed that the pack member in question was a dark haired, bearded gentleman who she knew to be called James. He was often seen at Hatch's side when back at the camp, and the brunette had come to think of him as the pack leader's second in command - helping the alpha to oversee the wellbeing of the Neivera extended family. Earlier that evening, when the wolves had been preparing to set off for the Quarter, Hatch had taken Keelin briefly to one side to express his apologies that he would not be joining her and the rest of the pack as they ventured into the city for the celebrations. He had gone on to explain that the pack were now expecting a guest due to arrive at their camp that evening, and felt that as the head figure of the Neivera clan, he should be the one to greet them. As a result, James was to be the official representative for the pack that evening, instead of Hatch. "Ah James, isn't it?" Vincent commented, as he accepted the wolf's offered handshake. "Hatch told me that you would be the fellow to speak with. I trust we can expect no trouble from your group this evening?" Keelin raised an eyebrow, as she thought it was a risky move by the New Orleans witch, to imply to a group of wolves that they could potentially be trouble makers. She had seen many a pack member lose their temper over far less back in her youth. Much to her surprise, however, the well-built second in command simply laughed as he appeared to shrug off Vincent's implications. "Of course not, my good man! We are here simply to take in the sights, and sample some of that delicious food that we can currently smell." Vincent nodded at the man, and smiled widely. "Excellent, that's what I like to hear. Now, just before I leave you all to enjoy your evenings, please let me introduce you to a colleague of mine." Vincent twisted his head back and motioned for a slight-framed figure to come forward and join him. Keelin was mildly surprised when she saw the man appear from behind the New Orleans witch, as she had neither seen nor smelt his presence only seconds before. "This is Jonathan, a valued member of my coven, and soon to be newest appointed council member of the Quarter." The newcomer twisted his mouth in what Keelin assumed was meant to be the man's attempt at a smile – but instead it gave his face the appearance of someone having to endure a sudden flare of intense toothache. As she went on to note the awkwardness with which the man stood, placing more weight on his right leg than the left - she heard a quiet yet sharp intake of breath from the younger wolf, Alanna, who was stood with the top of her right shoulder pressing lightly into Keelin's own. As the brunette turned her head gently in response to the noise, she could have sworn that she felt the muscles in her friend's upper arm quickly tense up. A quick look at the girls face told Keelin that something was definitely amiss. Fear was clearly evident in her eyes. "Are you ok?" she quietly whispered, as she leant over so that her mouth was closer to Alanna's ear. The girl rapidly blinked and lowered her head as her face flushed red. She curtly nodded to the older wolf in a manner indicating that she wished for the matter to be dropped. Vincent continued with his address to the pack. "I will unfortunately be otherwise engaged this evening, making sure that the night's festivities run smoothly and to plan. So I trust you will understand if I leave you in the capable hands of Jonathan. He has offered to be your guide during your time here in the Quarter. Please, do not hesitate to ask anything of him." Keelin frowned, as Vincent's words struck an unpleasant chord on her nerves. "I'm pretty sure that the pack doesn't need a babysitter, Vincent. We're all adults here after all, no one is going to be a nuisance." The witch turned his gaze from the male wolf James, and let his eyes meet those of Keelin. "You miss understand my intentions, my esteemed wolf. Jonathan is here simply to help you and your new found friends enjoy your evening to the fullest. That is all." Just as she opened her mouth to protest the witch's claims further, Keelin felt a hand lightly grip onto her shoulder, as James lent over to interrupt. "Come now, Keelin, let us not kick up a fuss. It will be good to have a knowledgeable local accompany us as we explore. Especially one so highly esteemed as a council member non-the-less." The brunette sustained her frown as she turned her head around to try and gather support from her younger friend, who continued to feel tense against her side. But Alanna's gaze remained fixated on the tarmacked ground below them, as she appeared to brood intensely. Seeing that she was going to get no support on the matter from the wolves around her, Keelin gave in with a loud huff, as she raised her arms in defeat. "Fine, whatever! Just make sure he keeps his distance from me." She eyed the thinly framed man wearily as she spoke. "I don't like the way he smells!" Or rather how he has a complete lack of smell, she added to herself - but only in the confines of her head. _i She was also troubled by the affect the man seemed to be having on her friend - but swiftly concluded that it was probably best left unsaid in front of her current audience, since Alanna had quickly tried to dismiss the apprehensive reaction she had clearly had. /i_ "Excellent!" Vincent bellowed, as he clapped his hands together once. "Until we next meet then!" The New Orleans witch promptly turned on his heels, and strutted off into the swelling crowd. As the Neivera pack members slowly began to set-off once more - heading into the heart of the carnival around them with Jonathan leading the way - Keelin attempted to hold back in her pace, until it was just her and Alanna left trailing behind. She quickly made sure that the rest of the group's attention was placed elsewhere, before lightly taking hold of Alanna's upper arm and bringing them both to a stop mid stride. "Ok lady, you need to tell me what's going on in that head of yours! I've seen you look extremely uneasy a few times today now, and you are starting to concern me." Alanna's eyes fell to the ground, as she laughed nervously whilst struggling to meet the older wolf's gaze. "Nothing is wrong, I don't know what you mean." "Are you kidding me? You can't even look me in the eyes right now! What's going on Alanna?" When the younger wolf finally looked up to sheepishly meet Keelin's gaze, she seemed to be about to say something as she took a breath and opened her mouth - but the words appeared to stumble and fall on her lips as they tried to make their way out. Shaking her head gently, Alanna sighed heavily. "Honestly it's no big deal. I just feel uncomfortable in large crowds of people, especially since I was attacked the other week. I've been nervous about coming tonight ever since Hatch decided that the pack should attend." Keelin observed her friend, as she mentally assessed the plausibility of the explanation given to her. "Alanna I've not seen you act anything other than confident and ballsy since the day I met you. Hell, even in the Hospital after you'd just suffered a terrible ordeal, you still seemed instantly ready to take on the world and win." Keelin tilted her head slightly, as she softened her voice. "Today you just seem so…..so out of character! Am I missing something here?" The younger wolf smiled weakly as she replied. "I'll be fine once we start having some fun, honest." She paused, seeming to look for something in Keelin's eyes, before continuing. "Thank you though….for caring about my well-being." Before the older wolf had chance to respond, Alanna gently slipped her arm out of Keelin's light hold, and began to walk backwards towards the Fairground stall that they had been observing earlier, before Vincent had rudely interrupted them. "Now how about I win you a stuffed toy, and show you just how ballsy a shooter this here wolf is!" Keelin couldn't help but laugh as the girl's bravado returned. It was clearly an attempt to distract away from the discussion they had been having, but the brunette decided to let the matter drop for now. They were after all in the middle of a colourful and lively festival, and surrounded by people of all kinds simply laughing and having fun. The night was still young - and somewhere out there, amongst all of the revellers and partygoers, was a certain tall, blonde Witch that she couldn't wait to "accidently" bump into. ********************************************************* 


	16. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15.**

 **1.**

Hayley's heart was brimming with warmth and happiness as she watched her daughter marvel at the sights and sounds of the carnival. As soon as the Mikaelson family had left the Compound and stepped out onto the main street running through the Quarter, the young witch's eyes had lit up in sheer wonder at the colourful spectacle suddenly surrounding her.

After a momentary pause to adjust to the onslaught of new images and scents bombarding her senses, the youngest Mikaelson had turned to her father and asked him excitedly if she could try and win a stuffed bear from the stall closest to them – a request which Klaus was currently in the process of protesting.

"Hope, you are a Mikaelson - you can have any bear that your heart desires! The most exquisite and expensive craftsmanship that the world has to offer can be at your beck and call to create a toy that no other child will ever have."

Hope looked at her father curiously, and then giggled.

"I don't want an exquissi bear, Daddy, I want to win that big yellow lion!" She emphasised her desire by pointing up to the large stuffed fabric beast that was currently dangling from the front of the stall, with its mane of woollen hair lightly blowing in the evening's breeze.

Hope's father looked to be about to protest the matter again, so Hayley quickly interrupted before the hybrid had chance to potentially dash her daughters jovial mood.

"Klaus, she's just a child who's excited at the prospect at winning her first fairground prize. Let her be a normal 7 year old girl for once!"

The hybrid considered her words for a second, before laughing as he threw his arms up in resignation.

"Who am I to get in the way of my daughter's desires? Have at it little one!"

Hope squealed with delight, as she quickly spun around and tugged on the dangling belt of Rebekah's long red jacket.

"Aunty Bekah, will you help me?"

Rebekah's face lit up as she surveyed the fairground stall's contents.

"Of course I will my darling. Let's see if we can win you the biggest bear here!"

As Rebekah and Hope stepped up to the front of the colourful shack to speak with the waiting attendant - watched over by a bemused Klaus - Hayley turned to observe Freya, who was currently stood in stony silence as she surveyed the surrounding crowds. Concentration lined the blonde's face, as her eyes slowly flowed back and forth over the scene in front of her, with them coming to a stop every now to briefly examine somebody in more detail.

If the hybrid didn't know better, she'd have said the witch was looking for someone in particular in amongst the mass of people filling the street.

"I forgot to ask you Freya, did you manage to speak with Keelin about all the blood that Mary discovered in the Bayou?"

Freya turned her head sluggishly in Hayley's direction, reacting to having heard her name spoken - but the hybrid could tell from the vacant look in the witch's eyes that she hadn't caught the rest of her question.

"Sorry Hayley, I was miles away. What did you say?"

The hybrid smiled knowingly at the witch, as she motioned to the throng of festival goers with her eyes.

"I'm guessing there is a possibility of Keelin being here tonight?"

The witch laughed and nodded her head as a flush of pink crept across her cheeks, clearly embarrassed to have been correctly called out by the hybrid.

"So I take it that you managed to speak to her on the phone? Did she know anything about the blood soaked scene in the Bayou?"

"Ah, I'm sorry Hayley - I didn't get chance to ask her about it. She was apparently in a rush, and I only really managed to get a quick hello in, before she was whisked away." The witch's mouth developed into a small sneer as she continued. "It appears that Alanna won't even let her speak with me on the phone for more than 5 minutes now, without having to butt in!"

Hayley noted the distinct jealous tone in Freya's voice, but chose to ignore it for the time being, as a small niggling feeling of uneasiness started to form in her stomach.

The hybrid pulled out her cell phone, and checked the screen to see if she had a missed call or voicemail message from Mary - but the screen just returned the familiar image of a selfie that she had taken of Hope and herself when they had been having a tickle fight one morning.

The older wolf had said that she was going to call the hybrid back as soon as she had spoken to Hatch at the Neivera encampment - but that had now been over 5 hours ago.

 _i Surely she should have heard back from the wolf by now? /i_

"Everything ok?"

Freya was looking at her with curious green eyes.

"I'm not too sure", Hayley replied to the witch, as she brought up Mary's contact details on her cell.

She pressed the relevant number on the screen, and fetched the phone up to her ear to listen. The hybrid was surprised to hear the call be re-directed straight through to the elder's voicemail service, without it even ringing out once.

"Strange, it's gone straight through to Mary's voicemail."

"She could already be on the phone to someone," Freya offered.

"Not likely - I think I'm the only person that Mary has listed in her phone. She hates the thing, and calls it an abomination of nature. The only reason she has it is because I managed to convince her that a cell was the quickest way for us to contact each other in the case of an emergency. Especially since she's now virtually on her own out in the Bayou."

Hayley quickly tried to call Hope's grandmother again, only to be met with the same result.

"Something doesn't feel right, Freya. I should have heard back from her by now."

The hybrid looked back over to the Fairground stall, where her daughter was currently laughing in delight as she stood on a small stool trying to throw a rubber ring over one of the multi-coloured glass bottles that lined the huts main table. She really didn't want to miss seeing Hope enjoy herself at the carnival, but at the same time she could not shake the feeling that something bad had happened to her old friend.

"Why don't you just head out to the Bayou, and see if Mary's ok?" Freya suggested, as though she had read the thoughts flowing through Hayley's mind. "I'm sure it's just a connection issue, but you are clearly not going to be able to relax until you know for certain."

"But Hope…."

"Will be just fine", the witch interjected. "She's got the rest of her family with her - not to mention a little protection spell working in her favour too!"

Hayley nodded, as she remembered the close proximity barrier-spell that Freya had placed around Hope earlier in the day, meaning that only trusted family members could get close to the youngster. It was no doubt a completely overkill move by the ever protective witch, but the hybrid had to admit it was currently helping to ease her mind – especially now that she was considering leaving for the Bayou.

She left Freya's side and quickly made her way over to Klaus, who was still engrossed in watching his daughter throw rings at bottle necks. Quietly, so as not to disturb Hope and Rebekah's current teddy bear endeavour, she addressed the Original hybrid.

"Klaus, can I have a quick word?"

Klaus turned his head round to look at Hayley - the large smile that had been drawn across his face as he watched Hope still in place.

"Of course little wolf, what is it?"

"Something strange is currently happening in the Bayou, and I'm concerned that Mary has got herself into trouble. I was unable to get hold of her just now, and…."

"Go, we will be fine."

Hayley was shocked by the Hybrids quick response. She had expected, at the very least, to have to try and convince the father of her daughter that leaving them would be ok.

Nodding, she took one last quick glance at Hope - who was currently shouting out in glee due to having finally hooked one of the rubber rings around its intended target – before using her supernatural speed to depart from the street, leaving a blur of hair in her wake.

After she watched Hayley leave for the marshlands, Freya sighed to herself, and turned her attention back to the bustling crowd in the street. She was just about to re-commence her examination of the numerous anonymous faces jostling around the carnival, when she heard the familiar sound of her niece's excited voice.

"Aunty Freya, Aunty Freya, look!"

The witch turned to see Hope bounding over to her, with a large stuffed Lion barely wrapped in her small arms.

"I won him on my third attempt. Aunty Bekah says that I have a better aim than she does!"

Freya laughed at the small witch, whilst she pretended to ruffle the woollen mane of the cuddly toy.

"Oh I don't doubt that for a second!"

Hope turned on her heels and skipped over to her father, who was smiling at her as he looked on.

"Daddy, can we head to the Ferris Wheel next? I want to take Leo high up into the sky with me!"

As Hope began a light-hearted debate with her father over whether or not her new stuffed friend should be allowed to ride the fairground attractions with her, instead of being dropped off back at the Compound like Klaus thought would be best, Rebekah sidled up to Freya and gave the witch a light sisterly nudge with her shoulder.

"Why don't you go and grab yourself a drink love. You look like you could use a fuzzy head to distract from the intensity of those thoughts of yours!"

Freya laughed as she nudged her sister back with her own shoulder.

"I wouldn't want Hope to feel like I was abandoning her, on her night of family fun."

"Nonsense – look at her, she's so wrapped up in the excitement of the carnival that she's yet to even notice the fact that Hayley has departed!"

Freya couldn't deny that her small niece seemed to be beside herself with delight, despite their numbers having dropped. And maybe Rebekah was right - if she downed a few drinks now, it might hopefully help to ease the tension that was rapidly bringing on a headache, just behind her eyes.

 _If only she could see that Keelin was here, and ok. Surely that would be enough to ease her concerns. Wouldn't it?_

"Go on love! I'll come and join you after a few more fairground attractions with the little one."

Freya smiled warmly at Rebekah as she gently squeezed her sister's upper arm with her hand, before turning to head in the direction of Rousseau's.

"Thank you, Sister."

 **2.**

Numerous rainbow coloured lights that lined the metal spokes of the carnival Ferris-Wheel glowed with a fierce frenzy, lighting up the night sky as the circular structure slowly rotated on its axis. Each of the ten box carts that were attached to the large revolving ring were spray painted in a different haphazard pattern, making them appear like individual race cars - trapped forever in a race that they were destined never to win.

Differing groups of people - ranging from parents accompanying their small children on their first ride up into the New Orlean's sky, to young lovers enjoying stolen kisses whilst far above prying eyes on the ground below – sat in the vibrant boxes as they slowly made a full rotation of the wheel. As the carts gradually made a pass of the bottom platform, the revellers were being assisted out of their seats by a particularly bored looking carnival attendant, for the next customers to then quickly jump into the carriage in their wake.

As Rebekah, Klaus and Hope gradually weaved their way in-between the merry crowds currently filling Bourbon St, the youngest Mikaelson's demeanour was becoming increasingly elated with each step taken closer to the Ferris-Wheel. Her wide eye's never once left the flamboyant carts as they slowly rotated through the air, and as such her hybrid father had not only got his hands full carrying the large stuffed Lion - that he had finally conceded on allowing to accompany them - but also making sure that his small daughter did not bump into any boisterous revellers as they walked.

Rebekah chuckled loudly to herself as the group neared their intended destination, amused by the sight of the Great Klaus Mikaelson - vicious killer and tyrant, feared for thousands of years by legions of both people and monsters alike, as he reigned down his wrath upon all those who opposed him – reduced to the role of under-the-thumb father, trailing after his demanding daughter.

"For your own sakes, Sister, that better not have been directed at me!" growled the hybrid, without turning his head back to look at the blonde vampire.

She stifled a second laugh behind a well-placed hand, before coming to a stop as they all finally reached the bottom of the fairground attraction.

Klaus quickly stepped up onto the raised metal platform that was fixed directly under the grand rotating wheel, as he shifted his hold on the toy animal laden in his arms, so that he could directly address the Carny responsible for the ride.

"Two tickets please, my good man."

As the Carny began to tear off two tickets from a reel of vouchers pulled from his jacket, Hope quickly addresses her father in a confused tone.

"But Daddy, there are 4 of us. You, me, Aunty Bekah, and Leo!"

The carnival attendant paused as he was holding out his hand for payment, and looked at the hybrid in a questioning manner.

Turning to look down at his daughter, Klaus bent to his knees on the elevated platform so that his head was only slightly above that of Hopes.

"I'm going to let you and Aunty Rebekah enjoy this ridiculously tall wheel by yourselves, Sweetheart. Heights are not really my thing."

"Aww daddy, please join us!"

Before Klaus could respond, Rebekah placed a hand on her nieces shoulder, and spoke to the young witch.

"It's ok love, you and me will take Leo on a fabulous adventure up into the sky by ourselves. We don't need any miserable men spoiling our enjoyment! Pretty princesses have way more fun than stinky princes anyway!"

Hope turned her head up to meet her Aunt's gaze, and laughed out loud, clearly delighted by Rebekah's analogy.

"And we are the tough type of Princesses, right Aunty Bekah? That never have to be rescued by silly boys!"

"Exactly, my love. Now let's you and me go and see just how many of those stars high up in the sky, that we can touch!"

The youngest Mikaelson cheered in glee as the blonde Vampire lifted her up onto the metal podium, before gracefully hopping up herself. As Klaus passed the vampire, stepping back down onto the street, he whispered under his breath in a tone aimed solely for his sibling's ears.

"I am a King, dear sister. Not a Prince! You would do well to remember that in front of my daughter."

Rebekah rolled her eyes at her brother, before turning back to the excited youngster, who was climbing into a passing cart that had just been vacated by a giggling due of young women.

"Come on Aunty Bekah, hurry up… before we take off!"

Grabbing the stuffed toy that Klaus had dropped onto the floor as he had jumped down from the ride, Rebekah slid onto the thin bench next to her niece, just before the Carny lowered a metal bar over the two Mikaelson's heads, securing their position in the cart.

Hope threw back her head and let out a loud "whooping" noise, as she wildly swung her legs back and forth under the seat.

"Ready or not stars, here we come!"

Klaus smiled to himself as he stood at the base of the Ferris-Wheel watching his daughter slowly rise up into the sky. He couldn't remember the last time he had heard the young witch laugh quite as often or hard as she had been doing so on this evening. It was a sound that had the ability to pierce through any anger or strife that could often be found lurking in the Original's old soul - and though he would never admit it out loud, the hybrid would gladly play doting father to his daughter every day for the rest of his immortal life, just to hear the girl's innocent giggles.

After watching the cart carrying his family finally reach its apex on the revolving structure, Klaus's attention casually wandered down to the crowds swelling around in the Quarter. So far it had seemed that Marcel's promise to keep his vampire community away from the bustling carnival event had been honoured - as the hybrid had yet to notice any un-dead presence amongst the throws of partygoers. His nose had however detected the scent of wolf several times as they had walked through the multitudes of people gathered on the street. Not that it concerned the hybrid at present - Hayley had told him of the new pack that had recently taken up residence on the outskirts of the city, so he naturally assumed the scent was coming from member of that new community. He would of course pay them a visit, at some point in the near future. Introduce himself, and ensure that the creatures knew exactly who the true commander of the city that they wanted to call home was – despite what Marcellus may like to think.

The hybrid's mind wondered to Elijah's current endeavour to help the self-appointed King Of New Orleans investigate the church where Vincent had recently been holding his coven meetings. He still could not fathom why Marcel was so concerned about the ex-regent's recent activities. As far as Klaus was concerned, the man had always been a strange one - and nothing about his recent behaviour screamed that anything was out of the ordinary to the hybrid. But Marcel has seemed quite adamant that…

Klaus's thoughts were abruptly interrupted as a passing figure collided into his left shoulder, as they made their way through the bustling crowd. As he stumbled back slightly trying to find his footing, the hybrid looked up searching for the human's face with the beginnings of a reprimand forming on his lips – however the figure continued to push their way forward without stopping to apologise.

Taking in the back form of the figure as they walked away, Klaus noted it had been a female, slight in frame and with long blonde hair trailing down the back of her dappled grey jacket.

"You need to be careful who you bump into love," he shouted after the lady, as anger slowly simmered underneath his skin.

The woman briefly turned her head back over her shoulder in response to his jeer, her light green eyes briefly locking onto his own blue gaze.

The immortals heart stopped.

"Cami?"

Turning her head back, the lady continued on her march through the horde of people, pushing aside revellers as she progressed.

 **3.**

"We nearly caught that one!"

Hope's jubilant voice shouted out, as she landed back onto the bench of the colourful cart with a thumping sound. Rebekah laughed as she watched the young witch grip back onto the metal pole that still traversed across their forms.

As soon as their box had reached the very top of the Ferris-Wheel's rotation, her niece had quickly raised herself into a standing position on the metal bench and begun exercising her very vivid young imagination. As Rebekah had grabbed onto the girl's waist, so as to steady the witch and prevent any unexpected accidents, her niece had gone on to declare that she was a daring space explorer, on a secrete mission to collect the brightest star out of the night sky. Rebekah was apparently her trusty side-kick who was tasked with making sure that once the star had been captured, it couldn't try and escape out of their clutches.

i _She loved the wonder and innocence that still lived within her niece_. /i

"Can we go again Aunty Bekah, as soon as we reach the bottom? Can we stay on for another chance to arrest a star?"

The vampire laughed again, amused by the witch's enthusiasm for her new-found game.

"Well let us first make sure that your father hasn't got himself into any mischief in our absence love."

"Then we can go again?"

"Straight away. Promise!"

As Hope's attention lifted back up to the night sky once more, Rebekah looked down onto the ground that they were now slowly descending towards, and searched for her older brother. She expected that he was no doubt growing bored and restless, having to wait for them to complete their rotation on the wheel. And a bored and restless Klaus usually only meant one thing – the hybrid's own brand of mischief would not be far around the corner.

A small frown creased her forehead as the vampire saw that Klaus was not stood where they had left him, next to the raised metal platform of the fairground attraction.

Slowly scanning her eyes further out from the ride, Rebekah finally locked onto the form of her brother, attempting to make his way through the throngs of party-goers as he headed away from their position. Even at the distance that she currently was from the hybrid, the vampire could see that Klaus seemed to be intent on following someone somewhere ahead of him in the crowd.

i _Who in the world had caught his attention enough to make his leave his daughter_ …. /i

The Original's thought trailed off, as she locked on to the person that almost undoubtedly had entrapped her brother's attention.

"Bloody Hell! She looks just like Camille!"

Hope lowered her head down and moved her eyes in her Aunt's direction.

"Who look's like what, Aunty Bekah?"

Rebekah quickly turned to look at her niece, as she realised that she must have spoken her last thought out loud.

"Nothing sweetheart, just your Aunty Bex mumbling to herself"

As Hope smiled and resumed looking out over the New Orleans sky line, the Original vampire quickly swung her head back around to focus back on her brother's pursuit. The blonde woman that he was tailing seemed to be heading down Bourbon St in the direction of the Carnival's exit, away from the Quarter. Klaus was clearly intent on following the Cami look-a-like, roughly shoving aside anyone that was getting in his way.

i _Surely that can't actually have been Camille?_ /i

The object of Klaus's affections had tragically died over 5 years ago now, and had long since been buried in the grounds of the Lafayette cemetery, situated out in the Garden district of the city. By now the ex-vampires body must have been nothing but bone's and dust, lying in the family tomb that had served as her final resting place.

Certainly not up and walking about in the New Orlean's night air, looking as fresh as the day they had all first met her!

 _i Something was definitely wrong. /i_

As the cart that Rebekah and Hope were sat in reached the bottom of the Ferris Wheel's rotation, the jaded Carny lifted the metal bar which had been securing the duo in place, so that they could quickly hop off the ride. Helping her niece jump down onto the metal platform beneath them, Rebekah quickly thanked the attendant and ushered Hope towards the edge of the small stage.

"Honey, your Aunty Bex needs to quickly help your daddy with something that's come up," she said, as the two of them jumped down onto the tarmac of the street. "I need to take you back to the Compound for a little while ok, just until me and your daddy get back. And then we can continue our top secret mission to capture a bright star from the sky!"

Hopes face immediately fell, as disappointment flooded over her features.

"But Aunty Bekah, I don't want to head back so soon. We've only got to ride the Ferris Wheel the once, and you promised that we could try out all of the carnival food as well!"

"I know love, I know."

Rebekah rumbled in her jacket's pocket, and fished out her cell phone. Bringing up her contacts page, she initiated a call to her older sister, Freya.

Two rings…three….six….her phone continued to dial out with no connection being made.

"Dammit Freya - I know I said to go and get drunk, but I could really do with you picking up the phone right now!"

After a few more seconds of listening to the call tone, the Original vampire ended the attempt to reach her sister.

"I'm sorry honey, but I really am going to have to take you….."

"Hey Rebekah!"

The blonde vampire looked up from the young witch in response to her name being said, and came face to face with Keelin who was stood smiling at both her and Hope in a reserved manner.

"Everything ok? You look troubled!"

"You are not going to let this drop are you?!"

Keelin laughed at Alanna's light hearted protest, as the two of them slowly walked away from the Shooting Gallery stall, where they had spent the last fifteen minutes. The younger wolf had paid for 5 separate attempts to win a stuffed toy for her, and had been unsuccessful on each occasion - failing to hit the required number of tin cans with small lead pellets shot from an air-rifle.

Each loss had succeeded in increasing the girl's frustration, and consequently each loss had also succeeded in increasing Keelin's amusement.

"Not ever – little miss "I'm so going to win at this easy game!". Maybe next time you won't be so over confident!"

Alanna huffed as she folded her arms over her chest.

"The game was totally rigged! I hit those cans far more often than they actually fell down. They must have been stuck onto each other."

The brunette wolf laughed again, although she tried to stifle its intensity this time behind her hand, since she could tell that her friend was becoming increasingly irritated.

As they gradually began to make their way further into the carnival, Keelin noted that other members of the pack were also walking in the same direction as them. Her eye's fell upon James, who was talking freely with the unofficial guide that Vincent had appointed to them – Jonathan – as they strolled.

"That man gives me the shivers!"

Alanna looked over to Keelin in response to her remark.

"Who?"

Keelin nodded with her head over to the thinly framed man that was slightly ahead of them in the crowd, gesturing with his hands whilst engrossed in his conversation with the packs second in command. She watched as Alanna looked at the guide and then quickly lowered her gaze again, before starting to chew lightly her bottom lip.

The older wolf was about to re-address her earlier question as to what was going in Alanna's mind this evening, when something suddenly caught her attention from the corner of her eye. Turning her head towards the large Ferris Wheel that was now only a couple of yards ahead of them, Keelin focused her vision on the tall, blonde haired woman who was currently jumping down off the ride's raised metal platform whilst holding the hand of a young child.

It was Freya's sister, Rebekah, along with the youngest of the Mikaelson family, Hope.

As she gradually came to a standstill, the wolf watched the Mikaelson duo interact with each other. Rebekah seemed to be slightly distressed as she took out her phone and raised it to her ear, whilst Hope looked on with a somewhat saddened look on her face.

 _i Was something a-miss with her girlfriend's niece? /i_

"Hey Alanna, I'll just be a minute ok. There's someone I just want to say a quick hello to."

As Keelin went to take a step in the direction of the Mikaelson pair, Alanna shot out her hand and grabbed onto the wolf's lower arm, bringing her to an abrupt halt. Frowning, the brunette looked at the younger wolf questioningly.

"Hey, what's got into you?"

The young wolf looked at her with a nervous expression written across her face.

"Hatch said that you weren't to stray from the pack tonight, Keelin. That it was in your best interest to…."

Alanna was interrupted by the arrival of James and Jonathan, who had overheard their conversation and made their way over to them.

"It's ok, Alanna," addressed the bearded wolf. "Hatch was simply worried for our good friend's well-being. However it certainly seems that Keelin is fully in control of her wolf traits at present."

The male wolf looked at Keelin appraisingly before continuing.

"Am I correct my dear?"

Her brow still creased with a frown, and annoyed at feeling like she was being treated like a child, Keelin looked between her friend and the pack's second in command. Curtly, she addressed them both at the same time.

"Actually yes, I feel fine! Now if you will excuse me."

She did not wait for a response from the Neivera wolves before starting to make her way over to Rebekah and Hope.

Nearing the pair, Keelin did her best to smooth out the features on her face, so as not to greet her girlfriend's family with the scowl that had formed due to her irritation at the pack. The last thing she needed was it getting back to Freya that she was stalking around the carnival in a bad mood.

"Hey Rebekah!"

The blonde vampire turned around and looked at her as she came to a standstill next to the duo.

"Everything ok? You look troubled!"

As she watched Keelin walk over to the two Mikaelson family members, Alanna felt a cold sweat break out along the back of her neck. The evening's events would soon be reaching their crescendo, and the wolf was no longer sure that she had enough conviction left in her to finish her part of the deal.

"You are letting your nerves get the better of you, wolf! Can my liege still depend on you to complete your task?"

It was the weasel man Jonathan - whose narrow grey eyes were currently boring deep into her soul as he looked on at her in disinterest.

"I….I don't know if I can. Keelin doesn't deserve this. She is not one of them!"

"My liege does not care what your opinion is, wolf! Need I remind you what the Hollow is capable of?"

Alanna's face paled, as memories of the past few months of torments rushed back into the forefront of her mind.

"Or what you still have left at stake!"

"She knows exactly what is hanging on this - there is no need for the reminder!" James cut in harshly, as Alanna's head bowed down in submission.

Jonathan turned his blank gaze onto the dark haired male, the expression on his face remaining empty and vacant.

"Be careful how you address me wolf – I answer directly to the Hollow, and my god is not known for her tolerance of insolence!"

Sighing, James looked away - appearing to busy himself with observing the bustling crowd.

Moving his eyes back to Alanna, the Hollow's follower continued his address

"You know your role wolf. Make sure you complete it, and swiftly. The Mikaelson child must die tonight."

Alanna's eyes shot up to meet the weasel man's look, as they widened in horror and realisation.

"The child? Nothing was said about the young girl! I thought it was the witch who was the one to…."

"The witch will be meeting her end very soon, wolf - as will the rest of that retched family. But tonight the target is the youngest member, Hope. We have specific instructions from the Hollow, and you WILL carry them out. Make sure the Malraux wolf and the child are in the target area within the next hour."

Alanna flicked her panicked eyes over to James in the hope of gaining his support, or at the very least to confirm that this disturbing new revelation was as much news to him, as it was to her. But the wolf Beta appeared to now be trying his best to ignore the conversation that was happening next to him, as he feigned interest in the surrounding festivities.

i _James knew! He knew the child was the target and not the witch! Which meant that….Hatch must have known too._ /i

Her eyes fell back to the ground, as feelings of despair and hopelessness washed over her in droves.

i _She truly was alone in this now, and there was no backing out. Not when the Hollow still had…..No! She could not bring herself to think of what was at stake. She had to proceed with the plan, despite her feelings that had developed. Despite the consequences._ /i

A tear fell down her cheek, as she raised her head again to look the weasel man in the eyes.

"I understand."

"Keelin!"

Hope's face lit up as she leant around Rebekah and saw the brunette wolf. The young witch immediately side stepped around her Aunt and moved in for a cuddle with her favourite Jaks opponent.

"Hey there, sweetie!"

Keelin bent down and held out her arms to engulf her girlfriend's niece in a tight embrace - genuinely happy to see the small Mikaelson.

"Huh!"

As she held onto the young witch, Keelin looked up to see Rebekah looking down at them both with an amused expression on her face.

"What's funny?" she asked the blonde vampire whilst raising her eyebrows.

"Oh nothing, sorry love! It just appears that my sister now considers you to be family."

As she let go of the youngest Mikaelson, Keelin raised back up and gave Rebekah a slightly perplexed look – confused by the randomness of her remark. But the Original vampire seemed to have already moved on, and was back to having a stressed vibe about her.

"Is something wrong? You look harassed!"

"Oh just my hot headed brother off getting himself into god only knows what trouble, once again. I need to get Hope back to the Compound quickly so that I can go and make sure he doesn't do something bloody stupid."

Keelin watched the smile on Hope's face fall away, in response to her Aunt's words. Clearly the youngster did not want to leave the fun and games of the Carnival quite yet.

"What about the rest of your family, can no one else step in?"

Rebekah quickly shook her head.

"Hayley's in the Bayou, Elijah is currently trying to play nice with Marcel, and Freya is…."

The blonde paused, as she quickly looked at Keelin, before continuing.

"Well to be perfectly honest I think that she may well be drunk in a bar somewhere, but I am struggling to get her on the phone."

Keelin nodded as she took in the information.

"Well, I can take Hope back to the Compound for you, if it will help? And I'll see if I can find Freya on our way back, so that she can stay with her niece until you….well, sort everything."

Rebekah looked at Keelin as she considered her proposal.

"Are you sure, love? I don't want to put any extra pressure on whatever it is that's going on between you and my darling sister right now."

Keelin smiled, as she realised that Freya must not have told the blonde vampire the reason behind their recent time spent apart.

"Honestly, we'll be fine." She turned and looked down at Hope before continuing. "Wont we, trouble! Do you want to hang out with me for a while, whilst we'll go on a mission to find your Aunty Freya?"

The young witch's face lit up once more, as she nodded her head enthusiastically.

"Thank you, Keelin. You are a life saver."

Rebekah quickly smiled down at Hope, before turning and hurrying off into the crowd.

Keelin watched the vampire disappear into the sea of people, before turning back to Hope and holding out her hand for the youngster to take.

"So little one, which shall it be first – candyfloss or ice-cream?"

"Well I certainly know which one I'd pick!"

Keelin turned and saw Alanna walking towards her and Hope, a large smile written across her face. As she reached the duo, the younger wolf hunched down into a squatted position and stuck out her hand in the direction of Hope.

"Hi, I'm a friend of Keelin's. My name is Alanna. What's yours beautiful?"

Hope stared at the newcomer with some trepidation, before looking up to Keelin for re-assurance. The brunette wolf sighed quietly to herself, as she quickly concluded that the girl might as well be formally introduced to the Neivera wolf, since Alanna would no doubt be accompanying them as they searched for Freya. Keelin figured that she was probably going to have an unofficial babysitter for the whole of the evening whether she wanted one or not.

"It's ok honey, she is indeed a friend of mine. You can say hello."

Hope looked back to the wolf, and a small tentative smile stretched across her lips.

"My name is Hope." The youngster held out her hand.

As Alanna went to shake it, there was a sudden flare of static energy in the air around both of them. The wolf's hand was instantly pushed away with sizeable force, like a magnet being repelled by another similarly charged magnet.

"Ouch!" exclaimed Alanna. "What the hell was that?"

Keelin's eyes widened in surprise, as she looked between her friend and the young witch.

"Hope honey, did you do that?"

The girl shook her head, as she lowered her hand back down.

"Aunty Freya did."

The young wolf scowled as she raised back into a standing position, rubbing her hand in the same way a person might rub a nettle sting.

It abruptly dawned on Keelin what her girlfriend's niece must have meant, and she had to stifle a small laugh that tried to work its way out of her mouth.

"What so funny?" asked Alanna, looking at the older wolf as though she was slightly offended by the whole matter.

"Nothing, I'm sorry." Keelin quickly composed herself. "I wouldn't' take it personally – at a guess I would say that Freya's placed some form of protection spell on Hope whilst she's out enjoying the carnival. I imagine that anyone Hope doesn't know can't get too close to her. Or something similar."

"Jeez, talk about being over protective!"

Keelin laughed again despite herself.

"Oh that's nothing – trust me when I say you really don't want to get on the wrong side of my girlfriend!"

Alanna's scowl deepened as she continued to rub her hand.

Still chuckling, Keelin held out her hand for Hope to take it once more as she winked at the youngster.

"Come on then Sweetness, we best go and get you and the sulking wolf over here an ice-cream!"


	17. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16.**

 **1.**

"I can't believe you managed to finish yours before me!"

Keelin laughed as she watched Alanna stuff the final piece of her ice-cream cone into her mouth. The younger wolf and Hope had been engaged in a competition to see who could eat their ice-cream the quickest - and despite her best efforts, brain-freeze had gotten the better of the eldest competitor, slowing her down greatly.

Consequently, the young witch had been basking in her win for the past few minutes now.

"You licked it. That was your mistake. The key is to suck the ice-cream out of the cone!"

"Yeah, Yeah," Alanna smiled and winked at the girl. "You just wait until we get a hotdog - then you'll see just how quick we wolves can eat!"

It had surprised Keelin just how fast Alanna and the small witch had fallen into a relaxed rapport with each other. After their initial awkward meeting, Hope had proceeded to ask the wolf a whole barrage of questions during their walk over to the ice-cream stall - all relating to what life was like growing up within a pack, and whether it was "cool" or not to live in a trailer. The idea of having a home that could move location from day to day had fascinated the small witch - and whilst Keelin had half expected Alanna to be reserved towards the girl after her painful discovery of the protection spell, it had certainly not been the case. The Neivera pack member had been more than happy to indulge the Mikaelson member with answers to her queries, speaking freely with the youngster as they had been deciding which flavour of ice-creams to choose.

Seeing that the wolf had finally finished the last of her cone, Hope dived in with her next question.

"Do you have any brothers or sisters Alanna? I'm an only child, but my daddy has lots of brothers and sisters. They are my Aunties and Uncles!"

Keelin watched as the wolf's expression shifted slightly - a sadness appearing to creep into her eyes as she replied to the young witch.

"I had a younger sister once. You are indeed a lucky girl to have such a large family."

Hope's attention was averted suddenly, as a group of small children ran past them, cheering at the top of their voices as they went. Keelin could just make out the words "Funhouse" and "Ghosts" coming from the jubilant youngsters, before they disappeared into the throws of people stood in the street.

The young witch quickly looked up at Keelin, her eyes sparkling with newly peaked curiosity.

"Is there really a haunted Funhouse here? Can we go? Can We? Please?"

Before Keelin had chance to reply, Alanna responded to the youngster.

"You know I was actually going to suggest that we head over to the Funhouse! I hear that it has a door hidden somewhere inside, that leads to a world full of dragons and castles protected by handsome Knights!"

Hope's eyes widened with wonder.

"Really? Proper Dragons?" The small witch looked over to her Aunt's girlfriend quickly. "Can we go Keelin, please….please?"

Scowling lightly, Keelin grabbed Alanna's arm and tugged her slightly away from Hope, so as to speak to her quietly.

"What did you say that for? You know that I need to take Hope to find her Aunt."

Alanna shrugged her shoulders and looked at Keelin apologetically. She matched the older wolf's whispered tone when responding.

"Sorry, I just figured it could be fun – what kid doesn't love being scared and amazed at the same time in a fun house?! Besides, you could do with a little fun injection yourself! All you ever seem to do is run around after the Mikaelson family. They treat you like you are their trained pet or something!"

Keelin sighed, and shook her head at the wolf. A reprimand formed on her lips – ready to tell Alanna to lay off with the snide comments directed at her girlfriend's family – but it faltered and dissolved when she saw that the girl was gazing at her with wide innocent eyes, mirroring the look that Hope also currently had on her face.

i _Which one was meant to be the kid again_? /i

"Fine! One attraction, but we have to be quick. Rebecca will have my head if she finds out that I didn't get Hope back home straight away!"

The younger wolf cheered lightly, and clapped her hands together before turning back to the small witch.

"Come on little lady, we have a date with the Funhouse!"

 **2.**

Loud dance music blared out of several speakers scattered around the The Beach On Bourbon club-bar, just about managing to drown out the noise of the venue's many revellers as they drank and danced the night away. Despite the mild temperature of the outside air, inside the bar was rapidly becoming an overheated furnace - fuelled by the many sweaty patrons as they danced their night away on the locations large open dance floor. Bar staff working to keep their customers topped up with shots and cocktails could be seen congregating around two large industrial sized fans positioned to the sides of the drinks cabinets, whenever they managed to grab a spare second to themselves.

Freya Mikaelson sat at a table close to the venue's wooden bar, slowly fanning herself with a plastic covered cocktail menu that she had found standing up in a metal holder. As she came close to finishing her fourth Daiquiri cocktail of the evening, the witch smiled to herself as she watched a young female couple stood dancing together next to their table. Although both women appeared drunk, they had clearly yet to lose complete control of their motor-functions, as they moved quite skilfully in time to the rhythm of the music – their bodies seeking to entwine in a dancing pattern.

As the couple stole a passionate kiss, Freya sighed, and found herself once again thinking of her own, absent girlfriend. Despite her best efforts, the witch had been unsuccessful in chasing the image of Keelin away from the forefront of her mind, even with the aid of alcohol. If anything, she had found that the more cocktails she had drunk, the more she had longed for her wolf to be there, enjoying the festivities of the evening with her. She would definitely have gotten Keelin tipsy by now, and maybe even have enticed the brunette onto the dance-floor, to engage in a little close up dancing of all of their own.

They had spent several occasions getting drunk together - both as a couple, and also before they had admitted their feelings for each other. The two women had discovered early on that they both shared a passion for drinking straight liquor, and as such had often found themselves sharing a bottle of tequila, or bourbon, during the twilight hours spent in the Bell-Tower together. But to date, Freya had still yet to take the wolf out for a night of dancing.

A fact that she was now greatly regretting, as she watched the two women's hands wandering over each other's bodies as they swayed to the music.

Shaking her head abruptly in an attempt to refocus her thoughts, Freya finished the last dregs of her drink, and slammed the now empty glass down onto the table. Rising up, she grabbed her leather jacket off the back of the chair, and quickly made her way towards the venue's exit.

i _Enough with the sulking, it was time to find her girl!_ _Keelin could shout at her if she wanted to, for ignoring the wish to be left alone. At least the wolf would be there, in front of her. At least she would be able to touch her. Kiss her. Hold her. Once Keelin had no doubt finished shouting at her, of course._ /i

As the witch stepped out into the cooler air of the evening, she took a moment to steady herself against the tall support post which stood next to the bar's open doors. It seemed that the cocktails she had drunk had had a slightly greater effect on her balance than first expected.

Determinedly focusing her eyes, Freya looked out on the large crowds of people, all mingling in the street along with various carnival workers and performers.

 _i Somewhere out there was a wolf that she needed to take dancing – and that was going to happen tonight, even if it meant having to endure her girlfriend's wrath first! /i_

 **3.**

"Wow, it looks huge!"

Hope's words came out spiked with awe, as she stood looking up at the large, uneven structure in front of her.

The carnival's Funhouse was a wood based, windowless building - whose outside had been painted in every bold colour of the rainbow, providing an intense assault of chaos on the senses. The only visible entrance into the attraction was positioned exactly at the centre of the building – comprising of an open doorway that was obscured by large opaque flexible plastic slats, hanging down from the top of the doorframe. Painted around the frame of the opening was the enormous face of a menacing clown, who's open mouth had been replaced by the entrance into the Funhouse.

Eerie music could be heard emitting out of the structure, as uneven notes pitched against each other over the top of a loud base- drum beat. It reminded Keelin of the theme tune to an old tv show called The Twilight Zone, that she used to watch with her parents when she was a little girl. The music that had accompanied the programme's intro-credits had always given her an uneasy feeling as a young child, and it was one that she was now remembering well, as she looked on at the carnival funhouse in front of her.

"Hope are you sure you want to go in there? We could always try the Merry-Go-Round instead if you'd prefer?"

"This looks awesome!" was the young witch's only reply, as she continued to survey the building in wonder.

A small group of children began to congregate outside of the attraction, as the three of them continued to stand there. Keelin noted that they looked to be the same kids that had run past them earlier, shouting with glee at the prospect of witnessing ghosts floating about in the Funhouse.

One of the young girls broke away from the cluster of chattering kids, and gingerly approached Hope. The fair haired child, who could not have been more than 5 years old, stopped a few feet away from the witch, and waved her hand in a simple greeting.

"Hi, my names Neive. Are you going to play in the big scary house too?"

Hope turned her head in the newcomer's direction, and smiled - returning the wave gesture in kind.

"Hell yes! It doesn't look that scary though. I've seen worse!"

"Really?" the young girl replied in amazement, immediately riveted by the witch's confidence.

"Yep! You just have to be brave, then all the scary goes away."

Keelin smiled to herself as she watched the two youngsters continue to interact innocently with each other. She had never seen Hope around any children of her own age group before, and was pleased to see that the lack of social interaction with any peers had apparently not affected the young witch's ability to chat in a carefree manner with other kids.

"Guess this is the funhouse then!"

The brunette wolf turned slightly in response to Alanna's statement, and noticed that the earlier merriment had now left the girls face, to be replaced with a look of sombre reflection.

"Guess so," she replied.

Keelin paused, and tilted her head at the younger wolf, before continuing.

"Are you ok? You seemed so eager to get here a few minutes ago, and now you look like you've just turned up to someone's funeral!"

The Neivera pack member dropped her gaze down to the floor, as she let out a long heavy sigh.

"Alanna?"

"You shouldn't accept Hatch's offer you know."

Keelin frowned as she continued to look at her friend.

"What do you mean?"

Without taking her eyes off the ground, the young wolf continued.

"His offer to join the pack. I heard him ask you this morning, if you wanted to unite with our family and come live with us. You should decline, Keelin. Everything…everything is not as simple and straightforward with us as you have been led to believe."

The brunette watched as her friend's eyes slowly began to glisten in the carnival's lights, as the beginning of tears started to form at their edges.

Reaching out, she grabbed both of the wolf's hands into her own and gave them a light squeeze of encouragement.

"Hey….hey!" She waited until the younger girl's eyes slowly raised to meet her own, before continuing. "Is there something bad happening to you Alanna, within the pack?"

Her friend's eyes immediately lowered again, as a tear slowly rolled down onto her cheek.

"You can tell me you know, if there is."

Keelin felt the wolf's hands start to shake slightly in her own, as she continued to remain silent.

"I saw the way you reacted this morning when Hatch grabbed hold of you. I know you tried to shrug it off when I asked you about it - but I saw the fear in your face Alanna. And then again tonight, when Vincent introduced us to that creepy man, Jonathan. It was the same look. Have you met him before?"

The faintest of whispers came from the wolf – that Keelin would have not heard at all had it not been for her enhanced supernatural hearing.

"I….I wish I could tell you."

"Alanna talk to me please - I'm here for you. You've helped me so much over the past week, and aided me in regaining control over the dangerous heightened animal impulses I'd been having. You've been a kind friend to me during a crazy, scary time in my life, and you must know that I've grown to care about you too. Please, don't shut me out over whatever it is that's clearly upsetting you."

Alanna suddenly looked up from the ground, and searched Keelin's eyes with her own glistening orbs. Hesitating for only the briefest of moments, the wolf quickly leant forward and pressed her lips gently onto Keelin's in a kiss, breathing out heavily as she did.

A second passed.

Another.

Then a third - before Keelin's reactions finally caught up with her shocked mind. Pulling quickly away from the Neivera wolf, she shook her head as her eyes locked onto the younger woman's.

"Alanna, no! What are you doing?"

The girls eye's quickly fell to the ground again, as red rapidly flushed through her damp cheeks.

"I thought that….maybe…."

Both wolves were distracted suddenly, by a short, but very loud crashing sound that seemed to come from their far right, someplace within the mingling crowd. Scanning her eyes briefly over the mass of people, Keelin could hear that a commotion of some sort was occurring further down the street, but she could not see anything through the groups of revellers. She quickly figured that something large must have been knocked over accidently by one of the many carnival goers.

Turning her gaze back to the now clearly embarrassed wolf, the brunette quickly gave her friend's hands a squeeze again, before smiling at her in an apologetic manner.

"Alanna I have a girlfriend, who I am very much in love with. I know you probably haven't picked up on just how much she means to me over the past few days - and I guess that's mostly my own fault. I have been so wrapped up in my own issues as of late, that I haven't gushed about Freya quite as much as I normally would."

The younger wolf looked up at Keelin sheepishly, as she listened to her speak.

"But she is truly an amazing person. Complicated, yes, but amazing! And I would never do anything to endanger what I have with her." She paused briefly, to let her words hopefully hit home with the younger wolf. "I meant it when I said that I care about you Alanna - but you need to understand that it's in a purely platonic way. I'm sorry!"

Nodding her head gently, Alanna quickly pulled her hands away from the brunette before closing her eyes briefly.

Keelin was attention was suddenly commanded by the elevated sounds of children cheering out. She turned just in time to see Hope disappearing into the fun house, as the young girl excitedly followed the other group of kids that had been chatting outside with her, into the carnival attraction.

"Crap! Hope wait up!"

The Malraux wolf turned and quickly made her way through the wide plastic strips, that were still flapping back and forth after the children had passed through them – leaving Alanna behind in her wake.

Looking down as she brought her closed left hand up into view, Alanna felt a fresh batch of tears begin to make their way down her flushed cheeks.

Slowly opening her fingers, the wolf watched as the rainbow coloured light from the overhead bulbs bounced off the small metal ring that now lay in her palm. The Kyanite jewel set into the centre of the band seemed to glow brightly as it reflected the various colours bombarding down onto it, giving the ring a mystical appearance as it sat on her skin.

Shaking her head slowly, Alanna closed her hand back into a fist again and let out a pained, quiet sob.

"I'm sorry too."

Freya slowly made her way through the bustling street crowds, her eyes scanning briefly over the various faces that she passed along the way as she kept a look out for any sign of Keelin. The carnival had to be nearing mid-way through its evening's festivities now, and the witch estimated that there must have been well over at least ten thousand people - just within the small section of the Quarter that she could presently see.

A smile formed across her lips as she passed by a performing artist who was currently managing to keep 6 fire torches flying through the air, as he juggled them with apparent ease. The bright flames flared with intense hues of orange and amber as they licked the air through which they sailed, drawing the eyes of a group of people who had formed a small semi-circle around the entertainer. Freya mused that whilst his effort was admirable, she could have achieved the same result with a lot less effort – with the help of a little telekinesis of course!

Next she went by an ice-cream stall that had a large queue of parents and children standing in front of the serving window, all excitedly contemplating what flavours of treat they would like to be added to their cones. The witch could imagine Hope standing there with Klaus, asking her father to name his favourite ice-cream flavour, and then giggling at him when he declared that Kings did not partake in such frivolous dreariness as licking frozen dessert from a wafer. Her brother had such a bizarrely intricate relationship with his daughter – on paper it shouldn't have worked, a savage murdering monster who had terrorised his way through the world over several millennia, trying to care for a sweet yet powerful little girl and bring her up in a "normal" manner. But the hybrid somehow made it work, despite everything that was stacked against him.

Shaking her head lightly Freya laughed to herself as she continued onwards, past the large Ferries wheel turning its bright lights through the sky, and onwards towards the Funhouse, that stood like a large devious wooden beacon – beckoning revellers to try and survive the numerous rooms it had to offer, with their sanity still intact. The witch was placing her hand in the pocket of her leather jacket, intending to retrieve her phone to make a call, when she suddenly came to an abrupt standstill.

Ahead of her, just in front of the Funhouse's entranceway, she could see the very person that she had been searching for, Keelin, looking to be engaged in a conversation with someone. A wide smile formed on her face as she made to take a step in her girlfriend's direction – only for her to come to a hasty halt once more, when she recognised the person that Keelin was chatting to.

It was the wolf, Alanna.

i _That damn girl never seemed to leave her girlfriend's side lately!_ /i

Pausing where she was, Freya watched as Keelin took the younger wolf's hands into her own and appeared to give them a squeeze. Noting the way that the brunette was looking at Alanna, the witch thought that Keelin was possibly trying to encourage the pack wolf to open up about something, or admit something – though she could not tell which.

She did know however that their close proximity was beginning to stir uneasy feelings of jealousy and anger deep within her. The familiarity with which the two were gazing at each other, and the way that Keelin was gently rubbing her thumb back and forth over the younger wolf's hand – compassionate contact that she herself had been desperately longing for off her girlfriend over the past few days.

The witch had been denied the simple pleasure of being in Keelin's company, with not even a phone call shared between them until earlier that afternoon - yet here was this wolf, who had just appeared out of nowhere, sharing what looked to be an intimate moment with her girlfriend.

i _How many moments like this had they been having back in the Bayou, away from the prying eyes of the city? How many times had they…._ /i

The witch's inner thoughts abruptly halted - her eyes widening as her mouth fell slightly open.

Alanna was kissing Keelin – and the brunette was not stopping her!

Tears instantly began to well in the Freya's eyes as she quickly turned her back to the scene, unable to watch the intimacy between the two wolves any longer. The blonde felt a hurricane of emotions rapidly rise up within her and begin to devastate its way through her being – anger, hurt, betrayal, confusion– all of them pounding against her heart and making it race with a painful intensity.

She slowly began to stagger away from the funhouse, her vision blurring as stinging tears mixed with the hazy fog of rage that was starting to blanket itself over her eyes. The witch's fists clenched tightly at her sides as her pace began to pick up. A familiar sensation of magic quickly rose up within her, filling her being with an electrifying energy that was feverishly being fuelled by fury. Before Freya even had a chance to register what she was doing, she let out a low guttural sound as the power gathering in her hands suddenly thrust itself forward - firing out a shockwave of energy out into the crowd around her. Those revellers unfortunate enough to have been close to the witch were immediately thrown off their feet, flung painfully into other members of the bustling crowd. One man cast into the air connected forcefully with a hotdog stand that had been positioned a few feet behind him - creating a large dint in the side of the metal cart, as fried onions and condiments flew onto the faces and clothes of people nearby.

The few people who had remained on their feet quickly backed away from the witch, leaving a clear patch of street encircling her form. Freya slowly let her hazed eyes wander over the revellers that she had sent flying, breathing heavily as she turned on the spot. A few had been knocked unconscious by the blast, whilst others were rubbing various limbs as they attempted to regain stature back on their feet. A small male child lay unmoving on the floor as his mother tried desperately to wake the boy. The witch could see a thin trickle of blood slowly making its way out of the kid's nose and over his top lip, standing out in stark comparison to his fearfully pale skin.

The sight of the child broke through the red mist that had engulfed the blondes being – resulting in her vision clearing into focus once more.

i _They were all staring at her in silence – even the distraught mother tending to her child seemed to dare not make a sound_ /i

Quickly turning away from the scene, Freya bolted through the crowd, heading down Bourbon Street in the opposite direction to the Mikaelson family compound. Faces and bodies all blurred into one, as the blonde quickly pushed her way through the masses, trying to leave the carnival behind.

i _She needed to get away_ \- _and fast!_ /i

 **4.**

Alanna stood looking at the entrance to the funhouse, rooted to the spot by the overwhelming feeling of guilt running through her body.

The sensation of the older wolf's lips lay softly touching on her own, played over in her head like a social media gif stuck on a never ending repeating loop. She had been so sure that Keelin had been starting to see her in a different light – that the Malraux wolf had finally been starting to see how better life could be away from the deplorable Mikaelson family.

i _But it seemed that the heartless and cruel Witch had gotten her talons hooked deeper into the wolf than any of them had first realised._ /i

Confusion ran rife through Alanna's mind, as she tried to reconcile how such a good and honest soul like Keelin could ever fall in love with such a dark and twisted being as Freya Mikaelson. Could the brunette not see that there was no good lying within the woman she claimed to love? Did she not know of the horrific atrocities that the witch she thought to be "amazing", had inflicted upon the world?

i _The pain and suffering that the witch had inflicted onto Alanna's own family_!/i

If only she had had more time with Keelin out in the Bayou. Alanna knew that she could have eventually been able to make her see the truth behind the lies and deceit that the Mikaelson witch been brainwashing her with. She could have made her understand why the world would be so better off without the Original family abominations in it.

The young wolf knew that if Keelin had been made to understand the truth, then she would have happily helped the Neivera pack fulfil their debt to the Hollow, without the need for them to have tricked her.

iWithout the need for Hatch to…. /i

"Good to see that you managed to accomplish your task, wolf!"

Alanna turned her head to the right, and saw the weasel framed Jonathan sidling up to her – a frighteningly impassive smile on his face. Behind him trailed James, who looked like a defeated man simply trying his best to get through one minute to the next without collapsing from stress.

"Now move aside, whilst I seal the entrance."

Alanna raised her eyebrows in surprise at the man's comment, and noticed that James had had the same reaction.

"You're a witch?"

"Of course I am you stupid fool. Now move!"

Alanna took a couple of staggered steps backwards, as the male witch moved up to stand just in front of the Funhouse's entranceway. Coming to a stop next to her pack's Beta, she dropped her head down, hanging it as shame continued to force its heavy burden upon her.

Lowering her voice to an almost inaudible whisper, she addressed the bearded wolf next to her.

"James this doesn't feel right. The child – she is an innocent party in all of this. Just like Keelin."

The male wolf matched her murmured tone as he replied.

"The child is a Mikaelson, Alanna – she needs removing from this earth just like the rest of them."

The young wolf shook her head as she contemplated what he said.

"But she's so young! You haven't met her James - she's still so full of the wonder and innocence of childhood. She does not yet appear to be have tainted by the corruption and malicious intent that so consumes the rest of her family. Helping the Hollow kill the child - it doesn't feel right. And Keelin….what we're doing to her….what's to come…..it's just not right!"

James quickly turned his face to her, its features contorting with pain and frustration as he spoke.

"And the horrors that will befall our loved ones if we don't go through with this – is that "right" Alanna? Because you know damn well what is at stake here if we do not comply! You know what the pack has already lost!"

The young wolf closed her eyes as painful memories attacked her mind, causing a cold sweat to quickly form on the surface of her skin.

"But, how are we meant to live with ourselves knowing that we condemned an innocent child to death. How can we possibly think that we are any better than the Hollow, or even better than the Mikaelson's themselves, if we allow a young kid to be murdered?"

She turned to look at James, and watched as he lowered his head and closed his eyes. The Beta let out a long laboured sigh as he shook his head.

"I'm sorry Alanna, but we have no choice. Hatch is our Alpha, and he has made his peace with this. We have to follow his command."

She turned her head back to where the Hollow's witch was stood, and saw that he was in the middle of performing a Boundry spell on the Funhouse. From what little the wolf knew of witches and their enchantments, it appeared that the weasel man was sealing the whole Funhouse building, so that no one would be able to get in, or out.

Once he finished, the witch turned to James.

"It is done. Contact your pack leader, and tell him the time is now."

James gave one last resigned look to Alanna, before he slowly started to walk away from the carnival attraction, fishing his cell-phone out of his jacket pocket as he went.

The witch turned his attention back to the Alanna.

"You are no longer needed here wolf. Head back to your pack, and await further instructions."

Jonathan turned his back on her, and stood stoically staring at the entrance to the carnival Funhouse. It seemed the witch intended on standing guard outside of the attraction, to make sure nothing could go wrong with the final stages of the Hollow's plan to kill the Mikaelson child.

Alanna slowly turned on her heels, and began to walk away from the Funhouse.

Nothing within her felt right. Her mind and heart were locked in a hopeless battle of morals and neither winner would bring an outcome that didn't involve someone she cared about dying.

She had been a member of the Neivera pack since birth, and owed her life many times over to its members and their tight, durable bond. And with what they had already been made to endure over the past few months - every life that hung on the outcome of tonight's events – it was not something that she could easily dismiss.

But the price that the pack were all having to pay for peace was severe, and the wolf was no longer sure that they would be able to survive its fall-out.

i _Could she condone the taking of an innocent life, and the ruining of another - all to ensure the continuation of her own packs future?_ /i

Alanna came to a stop in the middle of the street, and buried her head in her hands, as festival goers stepped around her on their continued mission for fun. The memory of feeling Keelin's lips upon her own played over in the girl's mind again, taunting and mocking her for abandoning the Malraux wolf to the Hollow's evil scheme. Recollections of the few times they had spent together, laughing and getting drunk around the pack's camp fire. Keelin admitting to the wolf that she had grown to care about her.

 _iGranted, it might not have been in the way that she had wanted, but it was still something…surely_? _Could she just let all of that be destroyed tonight in the Funhouse?_ /i

"No!"

She shocked herself, as the word left her mouth loud enough to draw attention from the small family of people who had been passing by her at that exact moment.

Ignoring the surprised look on the humans' faces, Alanna steeled herself and changed the direction in which she was heading - breaking into a light run as she tried to avoid colliding with the numerous people in the street. She was going to have to move quickly if she had any hope of stopping the plan which had now been pushed into its final stage of motion.

And she was going to have to confront the one group of people whom she despised more than anyone else in the whole world.

i _She just prayed that the Mikaelson's would let her live long enough to hear her out_ /i


	18. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17.**

 **1.**

"Nik, think about it logically you bloody idiot, this can't be Camille!"

Rebekah stood facing both her brother and the blonde woman that he had been trailing, as she tried to reason with the hybrid. Klaus had his back turned to the Original Vampire, as he continued to stare at the green eyed woman with confusion.

She had trailed the hybrid through the large crowds filling Bourbon St for a good ten minutes, before she had seen him finally grab the mysterious blonde woman's arm to bring her to a standstill - right where the Carnivals stalls and attractions came to an end on the Quarters main street. As the woman had been spun around by the hybrid, Rebekah had gotten her first good look at the blonde's face – and she had to admit, the resemblance to Klaus's ex-lover Camille had been absolute. But she had immediately noticed other small nuances that indicated the person stood in front of her brother, was not who she first seemed.

The woman had stood in a very shy manner, almost submissively, whilst Klaus had stumbled over his first words to her - asking how it was possible that the therapist was currently walking through the Quarter alive and well. Rebekah had not always necessarily been Camille's biggest fan, but one thing that she had definitely always admired about the therapist was her unfaltering confidence when it came to dealing with the unpredictable temper of Klaus Mikaelson.

The wary and timid stance that the blonde had taken whilst looking at her brother, seemed completely out of place to the Original vampire.

However the greatest oddity that she had instantly picked up on was the fact that this Camille look-a-like seemed to be utterly terrified by Klaus, despite the uncharacteristic soft toned demeanour that he was currently presenting. The woman looked like she would die from fright there and then should her brother simply whisper the word "Boo!" to her.

Naturally however, Klaus had been so far deaf to the Original vampire's pleas to see reason - remaining entranced by the mysterious woman he had been following. In fact he had yet to even acknowledge the presence of his sister, whom had been stood behind him for a few minutes now, trying to break through the stupor he had acquired.

"Camille, what's going on? What sorcery is at work for you to be here, back in New Orleans?"

The blonde woman practically jumped out of her skin, as the hybrid addressed her. Lowering her gaze from his, she slowly raised up her left arm into view, offering it as an apparent answer to the Original's question. Rebekah could see that her lower arm was covered in freshly cut wounds, criss-crossing their way up the pink flesh from the inner wrist to the elbow. At closer inspection the vampire realised that the cuts seemed to form several symbols at close intervals along the woman's arm, though their meaning or exact shapes were a mystery to her.

Klaus moved slightly towards the blonde, slowly stretching out his own hand towards to injured arm as he closed the distance between them.

"Who has done this to you Ca….."

"KLAUS! Don't touch her!"

Rebekah spun her head around in response to the sudden loud exclamation that had come from behind – her eyes widening in surprise as she saw her older sister, Freya, charging in their direction. As the witch closed in on them, Rebecca quickly turned her attention back to Klaus, and rushed forward, grabbing him from behind and pinning his arms down by his side.

Before the hybrid had chance to react, Freya came to a stop beside her siblings and raised her hand to extend out in front of her, simultaneously contorting the fingers upon it.

A sickly cracking noise could be heard, as the mysterious blondes neck snapped, before her body fell lifelessly to the ground.

"NOOO!"

Klaus erupted in a fit of rage, as he fought against Rebekah's hold. The vampire struggled to hold onto him, as he used his enhanced hybrid strength to combat her own, trying to free himself to get to the body staring lifelessly up from the ground.

Freya moved in front of the thrashing siblings, and quickly placed her hands on the hybrids shoulders as she shouted at him.

"Klaus, it wasn't Camille. Look!"

Rebekah let out a small cry of pain, as her brother finally managed to dislodge himself from her grip, breaking the original's forearm in the process. The hybrid pushed Freya roughly aside, as he dropped to his knees beside the crumpled woman's body on the ground.

Both Mikaelson sisters watched on as their brother's brow creased into a deep frown, as he registered the sight that they could all clearly see. The blonde woman who could have very easily passed as the deceased Camille's doppelganger only seconds ago, now resembled a completely different person in her death. Although her hair remained the same shade of blonde as that of the late therapist's, it was the only feature that the two still shared in common.

"What trickery is this?" growled the hybrid, as he continued to stare at the dead woman's lifeless form.

Rebekah rubbed her aching arm as she watched her sister sidle up along-side Klaus, and place her hand upon his shoulder. The vampire could already feel her broken radius beginning to knit back together, and she was thankful for the knowledge that within five to ten minutes time, her arm would be back to normal once more.

Freya spoke in a lowered tone to her brother as she looked down upon the lifeless corpse that he was knelt before.

"It was a transfiguration spell. A witch must have enchanted this woman to have Camille's features. But whoever cast it can't have been very proficient in their magic. Either that or they were using up a limited source of power, as I could easily detect the glamor surrounding her from across the street, when I saw you all."

"What are all those horrendous scribbles on her arm?" asked Rebekah, as she slowly moved closer to her siblings.

"Ancient ruins. Or to be more specific, transposition ruins. A second, more potent incantation had been cast on the girl via those carvings on her arm. Had Klaus of grabbed hold of her forearm, or even just touched the area of flesh into which the ruins are carved, his conscious mind would have been removed from his own body and placed somewhere else – temporarily I imagine, given the particular nature of the markings in place."

The blonde vampire raised her eyebrows in response to the information.

"Where?"

"I'm not sure, the markings are already beginning to fade – look!"

Rebekah followed her sister's line of sight, and saw that she was indeed correct – where only seconds ago had lay deep carvings in the woman's flesh, were now just the remnants of faint scratches which were rapidly fading from sight.

Klaus stood up slowly, and turned to face his siblings. Rebekah and Freya exchanged a quick look of concern when they saw the look of fierce anger that had now taken root on the Hybrid's face.

"Nik, you need to…."

"Don't try and tell me what to do, sister!" the hybrid snapped in response to Rebekah's cut off address. "What I am GOING to do, is find the witch responsible for this atrocity and quickly introduce them to each of their internal organs, one by one."

The hybrid made to leave his siblings presence, when he abruptly halted in his tracks. Turning to look at his youngest sister, the anger in his eyes seemed to abate slightly, as worry suddenly crept into his features.

"Rebekah, why is my daughter not with you?"

"I was in a hurry to come and stop you doing something foolish Nik, so I've left her with Keelin temporarily, who kindly offered to take her back to the Compound until we returned."

The blonde vampire turned to her sister as she continued.

"Did she find you on her way back with Hope?"

Rebekah watched as the look on Freya's face steeled into a hard cold mask, and she thought that she caught a glimpse of pain bleed through into the witch's eyes before her sister turned her gaze away.

A curt negative shake of the head was the only response the vampire received.

"Right - well you two go and retrieve my daughter from the wolf whilst I…"

Klaus was cut short by the sudden noise of a cell phone ringing out, coming from the inside of Freya's jacket. The brooding witch quickly fumbled her phone out of her pocket, and flashed the screen to Rebekah and Klaus quickly, showing them that it was their brother, Elijah, trying to get through.

Sighing heavily, the witch raised the device to her ear and answered the call.

"Elijah?"

i _"Sister, I am in need of your help."_ _/i_

 **2.**

The old church situated on the outskirts of the New Orleans city stood tall against the evening's moonlit sky, as Elijah approached it from the surrounding graveyard. The small cemetery, like the church that it surrounded, was desperately in need of restoration - with broken tombstones and overgrown vegetation littering the uneven turf that the Original treaded in his pristine black brogues. The grass grew long and unkempt around the marble headpieces, and in the ground were tacks made by local children who dared each other to go there in the twilight hours to search for ghosts.

Up ahead, just in front of the religious building's large entrance, Elijah could see the profile of his brother's old protégé, Marcell, pacing slowly back and forth. The Original absentmindedly straightened his dark blue tie as he cleared his throat, signalling his presence to the self-appointed King of New Orleans.

Quickly turning in Elijah's direction, Marcel's eyebrows furrowed in mild suspicion as he saw which of the Mikaelson's had come to join him.

"Elijah – I have to say I am surprised to see you here. Did Klaus not deem my request important enough to honour it himself?"

The Original came to a stop a few feet in front of Marcel, and quickly inspected the old decaying wooden door behind the vampire, as he responded.

"I'm afraid my brother has been caught up in family affairs, Marcellus. His daughter's needs are always paramount and take president over your current whimsical endeavour."

The New Orleans vampire laughed at the response, shaking his head in an incredulous manner.

"What you mean is that Klaus could not be bothered to come and help me, so he sent you instead!"

Elijah sighed and turned his gaze from the church's entrance onto Marcel.

"Marcellus whilst I do find your on-going petty attrition with my brother entertaining, please can we proceed with whatever it is that you need to do here, so that I can return to more important things back in the Quarter."

Shaking his head again, the vampire sighed and turned slightly to his side, motioning for Elijah to step up to the church's entrance ahead of him.

"My boys tell me that Vincent and his people all left here a good few hours ago heading for the festivities in town - so the place should be empty."

Looking back towards the church, the vampire could see that time had performed irreversible deeds upon the once proud and religious building. The stone walls were streaked by the drippage from leaky gutters that ran along the structures roof, with green mould sprouting out of increasingly present cracks. Elijah took a step up to the towering double doors, and laid a well-groomed hand on the old iron knob that served as the entries handle - speaking as he turned the locking mechanism.

"Excellent!"

The Original Vampire slowly opened the left-hand doorway, as old rusty hinges creaked with the effort of metal scraping against metal. As both immortals stepped across the buildings threshold and into the darkened church - with Marcel following Elijah's lead - they were engulfed by damp, moisture rich air, which smelt almost as old as the structure in which it was contained.

Light in the building was limited, with what little relief there was from the darkness being provided by a few scarcely placed tapered candles, flickering low on their wicks. Elijah could see that the church had long since abandoned its function of housing sermons and prayer meetings, with most of the wooden pews lined up along the aisle being either broken or rotting away.

Marcel walked up alongside the Original, surveying the scene with a deep frown on his forehead as they slowly made their way down the cluttered church aisle - stepping over fallen ceiling beams and loose floor stones as they went.

"I seriously doubt Vincent has been holding actual coven meetings here – this place looks about ready to crumble to the ground."

Elijah nodded his head gently in agreement with the New Orleans vampire, as he continued to roam his eyes over the dark room. His attention was caught by what looked to be a small clearing near the beginning of the chancel, which had been encircled with candles long since blown out.

As the two unlikely allies reached the top of the nave, Marcel spotted the same clearing, and pointed in its direction.

"Certainly looks like some form of spell has been performed here, judging by the circle of salt and numerous candles."

"Vincent is a witch, Marcellus – there is nothing unusual about him practicing his art. We can hardly…"

The Original trailed off, as a new scent began to tease his nose, slowly overpowering that of the damp and mould of the decaying church.

"Can you smell that?"

Marcel nodded his head in affirmation.

"Blood!"

Elijah turned to his left following the coppery smell, and saw a small door leading off from the main building. He motioned for Marcel to follow him as he began to walk towards the annexes entrance, the scent of blood intensifying the closer he got to the access point. Slowly opening the old, iron threaded wooden door, the Original stepped through into the church annex, and came to an immediate halt. The Original raised his hand up to cover his nose gently, as he took in the gruesome sight before him.

In the centre of the stone floored circular room was a large mound of dead bodies piled high up towards the ceiling. Arms and legs jutted out of the bulky mass of slowly decaying flesh, at various obscure angles, with numerous pairs of sightless eyes staring out at nothing, in eternal horror. Both dried and fresh blood stained the bodies and the floor upon which they lay, indicating to Elijah that whilst some of the unfortunate souls must have been killed recently, others had met their maker a good many days ago.

Marcel pushed his way into the annex behind the Original vampire, and immediately hissed at the sight that met him.

"What the Hell!?"

Elijah edged closer to the bodies, being careful not to step in any of the crimson liquid staining the stone flagged floor. Extending out an arm, the Original lightly touched one of the fresher looking corpses with the tips of his fingers, checking to see if there was any warmth left in its flesh.

"Damn it – there are kids here Elijah, in amongst the men and women. Young Kids! What the hell has Vincent been doing?"

The Original pulled back away from the corpses, as he reached into his suit jacket's front pocket for the ever present handkerchief to wipe his hands with.

"Some of these people were only killed a few hours ago - at the most."

Marcel began to slowly look around the rest of the room, as Elijah continued.

"And at guess I would say most of them are not human either – there is the distinct aroma of wolf surrounding the bodies."

Elijah turned and watched as Marcel walked over to a small wooden table that was placed on the far side of the annex, a few meters back from the dead bodies. From where he was stood, the Original could see what looked to be a roll of old parchment paper laid out on the surface of the furniture – its edges looking torn and stained. He watched as the New Orleans vampire picked the document up into his hands, and scanned over its contents.

"Looks to be a spell enchantment of some sort. Old too I'd guess, from the age of the paper that it's written upon"

Marcel looked over to Elijah as he continued.

"We could do within knowing what magic Vincent has been performing here - before I find him and rip his head off for this atrocity committed in my City!"

Elijah made his way over to the vampire, and took the parchment out of his hands.

"Do try and keep your own head Marcellus, until we know for certain what has happened here. This may well not have been the work of the ex-regent witch. "

As he scanned his eyes over the paper, the Original pulled out a cell-phone from his suit's inner pocket, and initiated a call to his sister. If anyone would know what the incantation on the paper had been used for, it would hopefully be Freya.

Four rings, then the line clicked as the witch picked up the call.

i _"Elijah?"_ /i

"Sister, I am in need of your help."

 **2.**

The old Fun-House building, which had been hired by the French Quarter's city council to form part of its Mardi-Gras carnival attractions, had originally been built back in the late 1970's - during the modern-day travelling fairground boom. Over the decades since its initial creation, the building had undergone several restoration bids, whilst numerous fresh coats of paint had been applied to both its exterior and interior in an attempt to keep the allure of the ride alive in the eyes of small kids and adults alike.

Some of the "feature" rooms within the structure itself had also gone through extensive changes over the years. Many of the old tricks and ruses that would have once both scared and delighted young children in the 70's and 80's, were these days considered tame and clichéd thanks to the dawn of enhanced special effects and CGI that was widely used throughout modern day media. Gone were the days of rousing a scream from a small child who suddenly walked into a plastic mask of a cartoon-style werewolf.

Yet despite the obvious attempts to modernise the carnival attraction and bring it into the 21st Century, Keelin could still see signs that the building was slowly coming to the end of its lifespan.

As she slowly made her way through the initial "greeting" corridor of the Funhouse, she noticed that between the various colourful posters of clowns hanging up , it walls were covered in a murky white tile which had been ripped away in places to expose the building's wooden skeleton beneath. Looking up towards the ground floor's ceiling, an impression entered into her head of the building collapsing inwardly on itself, like a loaf of bread taken out of the oven too soon. The structure of the first-floor's support sagged, and wooden shingles stuck up in places like wonky teeth.

The floor that she was walking upon was made of large ceramic tiles, and had been painted to resemble an oversized chequered chess board – black and white squares battling with each other for dominance of presence. Every now and then she would step on a tile which must have had a weighted spring mechanism hidden beneath it, as her tread would trigger either a sudden gust of air blown into the side of her head from a small outlet in the wall, or an abrupt shrieking sound being emitted from one of the many audio speakers that the wolf could see tucked away, attached to the beams of the ceiling.

Keelin knew that the whole point of a carnival Funhouse was to try and scare the people who walked its corridors, just as much as it was to make them laugh. But as the wolf gradually made her way towards the attraction's first room of mystery, she couldn't help but feel that the buildings original purpose had been lost somewhere through the years – it now just standing as a creepy and unsettling reminder of all that was wrong with the disturbing recesses of the human mind.

Reaching the threshold of where the chequered corridor merged with a new, gloomy area - the wolf called out in an attempt to locate her girlfriend's niece, as her eyes endeavoured to adjust to the darker room ahead.

"Hope, slow down ok. Let me catch up with you!"

The faint laughter of children having fun drifted into her ears, from what sounded like a few rooms away.

i _Great - the youngest Mikaelson just had to pick tonight as the time to make her first young friends. Freya's family were going to lose the plot with her if she didn't get the small witch home soon!_ /i

Taking a few steps into the new room, Keelin's eyes were harshly assaulted by several bright lights suddenly coming to life, illuminating the previously dark chamber. Just as the brunette raised her hand up to her brow in an attempt to shade her vision, the floor below her abruptly shifted to the right - causing the wolf to almost lose her balance as she struggled to find her footing. Simultaneously

As her vision adjusted, Keelin noted that she was stood on what appeared to be a large revolving disc – spinning around at a moderate speed from the centre of the colourful room. The rotating section of the floor was painted to resemble a rainbow kaleidoscope that transformed into a hypnotic dance of colours once the section was turning. Looking up from the ground, Keelin noted that the walls of the room were also painted in the same garish shades, only this time displayed in the form of many horizontal stripes, instead of flowing swirls.

Shaking her head lightly in reluctant bemusement, the wolf slowly started to edge her way across the revolving floor in an attempt to reach the small door that she could see situated in the far right-hand corner of the room - continuously righting herself so that she faced in the same direction.

Just as she reached a few feet off the edge of the turning disc, Keelin felt a warm flush of heat suddenly flare up inside of her, as though a tiny furnace in her heart had been sparked with fresh kindling for burning.

Coming to a halt, the wolf frowned and brought her hand up to rest on her chest, trying to feel the rhythm of her heartbeat. The brunette's pulse rate quickened as the heat within her began to intensify, spreading out from her heart and down into her arteries. Her arms began to shake slightly, as the familiar sensation of anger started to gather momentum in her body.

i _What was happening? She thought she had regained control over wolf hormones within her body - why suddenly were they flaring up again?_ /i

Trying to take deep breaths so as to slow her heart-rate down, Keelin looked down to her right hand for re-assurance – only to have a wave of panic flood over her - mixing sickeningly with the anger already burning within, and causing a cold sweat to break out across her skin.

i _Her ring wasn't there! Oh god, where was it? She had definitely had it on when they had set off for the…_ /i

Keelin let out a loud deep cry as an intense surge of hormones shot through her, breaking off her internal thoughts and causing the wolf to fold over, as she grasped her arms tightly around her body. Her eyes scrunched shut as she bared newly grown canine teeth to the room – sweat beginning to run slowly down her face from the crown of her head.

The wolf's eyes flew open again, as yellow and amber irises glowed brightly in their feral animal form – moving wildly around the room as she tried to focus her sight. Vivid stripes of red, blue, yellow, orange and green all flew past her vision as the disc she was now hunched over upon on continued to turn at a seemingly increasingly blurring speed.

With a penetrating flare of white hot pain, Keelin both felt and heard the first bone within her snap – its angle instantly shifting under her flesh as her muscles autonomically manoeuvred the splintered pieces into a new position.

A second sickly crunch rang out into the room, as another of her bones cracked in two, causing the brunette to cry out in pain.

i _No…no…no…no…._ /i

Keelin fell to the floor, no longer able to support herself upright on two legs as one of her large femur's snapped and shifted. The brunette opened her mouth again to let out a scream as she tried to support her body up on her hands - only this time the noise that came out was closer to that of an animal's guttural growl, than anything which could possibly come from a human's throat.

As rate at which the bones within her body cracked and shifted increased, the wolf had one last human thought tear through the pain screaming in her mind - before all awareness of self, disappeared into the sweet relief of dark oblivion.

i _Oh God..…Hope._ /i

 **3.**

Freya listened intently as Elijah described to her over the phone the scene which he and Marcel had walked into, at the old Church on the outskirts of town. Both Klaus and Rebekah were stood watching her closely as she occasionally nodded her head in response to her brother's words - the frown on her face deepening as the seconds ticked by.

i _"I've just sent you a picture of the spell parchment – can you take a look dear Sister, and see if it makes sense to you?"_ /i

"Ok, give me a minute."

Taking the cell-phone away from her ear, the witch brought up the photo which Elijah had sent to her onto the device's screen. The paper upon which the spell had been written looked old – almost appearing greater in age than the parchment with which her own mother's Grimoires had been crafted. The handwriting itself however looked fresher, as if the ink had only finished drying a few weeks ago. It stood out in bold stark contrast to the aged medium upon which it lay.

Freya studied the words for a few seconds, speaking softly to herself as she read out the incantation slowly. It only took one read through however, before she had the basics of what forces the spell called upon. She raised the phone back up to her ear to address her brother once more.

"It's written in a mixture of different languages, so it's hard to pinpoint its exact purpose – but the incantation seems to be designed to gain control over a being's instincts. I think there is a displacement element to it as well, though I'm not 100% sure on that, as the final section appears to be a blend of both Latin and a dialect that I've never seen before."

There was a brief silence on the line, as Elijah apparently thought over his sister's words.

i " _Ok, thank you Freya. I will be back in touch – Marcellus and I are going to continue our search of the building, as I fear that this unsavoury mess of bodies is not the only delight we will happen upon in this decaying place."_ /i

"Be safe, brother."

The line clicked, as Elijah ended the call.

As Freya lowered her phone and placed it back in her leather jacket pocket, Klaus approached the witch with suspicion clearly evident in his eyes.

"So Vincent has amassed himself a gory blood bath of sacrifices?! It appears I may owe Marcellus an apology for lauding at his suggestion that the New Orleans Witch was up to no good - not that I have any intention of telling the self-important upstart that to his face."

"But what would the spell that Freya was reading have to do with any of it?" mused Rebekah, as she frowned in the direction of her siblings.

Freya's mind started to work in overdrive, as pieces of the past weeks puzzle slowly began to fall in place for her.

"It was a spell to control instincts. If projected onto a person, the witch who cast the enchantment would probably be able to have a certain degree of domination over that individual's feelings and urges. How they reacted to different situations, and how they felt."

The witch paused - her eyes moving back and forth rapidly, betraying the quick succession of thoughts running through her mind.

Rebekah closed the distance between herself and Freya, placing a hand upon her shoulder.

"Go on, love. There is clearly more to what you are thinking."

"But if it was cast on a werewolf, instead of a human…."

The witch was cut off suddenly, by a new female voice rising up just behind the trio.

"…then it would enable someone to have complete control over that wolf's traits and hormones!"

All three Mikaelson sibling's heads turned around rapidly, as they lay eyes on the newcomer's form.

Alanna stood looking at back them, a nervous look fixed upon her face. Raising a hand slowly, she waved awkwardly in their direction.

"We need to talk - and fast. There's not much time."


	19. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

 **1.**

Rebecca looked at the young wolf that had suddenly interrupted her sister, and noted that although the girl appeared to be nervous whilst greeting them, there seemed to be an element of distaste filtering through into her eyes. As though she already knew who the three of them were – and wasn't happy about that fact.

"And who exactly are you?" the blonde vampire asked.

"I'm Ala….n…..urgh….."

The young wolf's words faltered as they began to turn into choking noises that rasped hoarsely out of her throat. Rebekah watched as Alanna's hands flew up to her neck to begin clawing at it, as though in an attempt to remove unseen fingers that were clasped tightly around her flesh.

Turning her head quickly to the left, the blonde vampire instantly located the source of the wolf's discomfort – Freya. The fiery witch had her arm extended out in front of her, with her hand rigidly contorted into a stretched claw shape as static energy palpably surrounded it. Her sister's face was knotted into a fierce snarl – green eyes glaring at the choking wolf with a mixture of hate and anger. Everything about Freya's posture screamed to Rebekah that the witch fully intended to squeeze the life out of the newcomer, there and then – no questions asked.

Whilst the Original vampire was sure that her sister probably had a good reason for wanting to inflict pain onto the wolf, the girl had seemed to know something about the spell that the three of them had been discussing, and Rebekah had a niggling feeling that they were going to need to hear what she had to say before the night was out.

Sighing, she placed a hand on her sister's shoulder, and attempted to break through the witch's apparent haze of anger.

"Freya, whilst I am positive that your quarrel with whomever this is, is warranted - it sounded like she may have information that could be useful to us."

The witch gave no indication that she had even heard her sister's words, let alone considered them to be reason, as she continued to bore into the struggling wolf with her hardened green eyes.

Turning her head back to the choking girl, Rebekah saw that the wolf's face was rapidly turning a plum shade of purple, as her eyes began to roll up and backwards into her head, leaving only a slither of white visible under her lids. The wolf's body looked to be stretched and strained, with her feet barely touching the ground – as though her frame was being lifted up by the force tightly holding onto her neck.

She quickly turned to Klaus and gave him an expectant look – attempting to enlist his help in breaking their sister's grip on the newcomer. The hybrid was looking back and forth between the choking wolf and Freya, with what seemed to be a look of bemusement on his face. It took a few seconds before he registered Rebekah's prompt - finally sighing and moving in front of the blonde witch's line of sight.

"Sister, I think we had better hear what this wolf has come to say. If it concerns the spell that Elijah has discovered, then it may well prove to be useful information."

Another couple of seconds passed, with no change in the blonde witch's demeanour – as the choking sounds coming from the newcomer beginning to decrease in intensity due to her grip on life beginning to wane.

"Freya, stop this now!"

The harsh tone in Klaus's voice betrayed that he was rapidly losing patience with the situation.

Rebekah could not tell whether what happened next was due her brother's intervention, or whether her sister finally began to see that they may need to hear the wolf out – but the witch's arm quickly dropped back down to her side as she released her telekinetic grip on the young girl's throat. The wolf's body instantly crumbled to the ground, and she could be heard hoarsely breathing in large gulps of air into her starved lungs as she gingerly rubbed her already bruising throat with her hand.

The blonde vampire looked at Freya, who had now turned her back on the newcomer and was stood staring lividly at the ground with her hands balled into fists at her side. Something about this young wolf had clearly gotten under her sisters skin, and judging by the witch's current state of unabated rage, Rebekah figured it had to of been of a personal nature.

"So typ….typical"

Rebekah turned her attention back to the newcomer, who was now attempting to push herself up off the ground whilst still clutching at her neck.

"Excuse me, love?"

The wolf finally managed to stand herself upright once more, as her puffy bloodshot eyes bore into Freya's back.

"That's the Mikaelson way isn't….isn't it!" The girl coughed as the effort of speaking through her damaged throat took strain on her. "Kill first…. ask questions later! I should have known….not to expect…..anything less."

Klaus left Freya's side and came to stand in front of the newcomer, a warning scowl crossing his face.

"I do not know what you have done to anger my sister, wolf - but I would seriously re-consider your tone given your current predicament! Freya might have granted you lenience just now, but I cannot promise I will be so forgiving should you continue to speak of my family in such an ill manner."

Rebekah watched as the young wolf incredibly stared eye-to-eye with her hybrid brother, in an apparent show of defiance and bravado - and for a few seconds the vampire thought that the girl might actually open her mouth and sign her immediate death warrant with another comment about the Mikaelson's ethics. But the graveness of her situation finally seemed to hit home with the wolf, as she let out a long laboured breath and lowered her gaze to the floor – her whole posture deflating somewhat.

When she replied to Klaus, it seemed to Rebekah that the girl was fighting back a deep routed hatred in order to be able to remain calm enough to form her words.

"Keelin would never have been drawn into this whole mess, had she just stayed away from all of you! You're the reason her life is about to end! You and the sadistic witch you call sister."

Before either Rebekah or Klaus had chance to react to the wolf's words, Freya spun around and surged forward towards the smaller woman with her hands contorted in front of her - simultaneously pushing the wolf's body backwards with telekinetic power, until the girl's slight frame collided with force into the closed door of the clothing store that the group had been stood next to.

A loud cry of discomfort left the wolf's mouth, as Freya's magic pinned her painfully against the wooden surface of the shop's entranceway. The witch came to a stop a few mere centimetres away from the smaller woman's face, as her emerald eye's bore fiercely into the blue ones staring back at her.

When she spoke, the eldest Mikaleson's words came out laced with both spittle and malice.

"What have you done to her?"

Alanna struggled in vain against the vice grip that was trapping her in place, and the hot threatening breath being forced out of the witch's mouth onto her face. Her defiant reply came out between involuntary grunts of pain.

"You did it….urgh….you did it to her, the moment you manipulated her with your lies of love and affection!"

Rebekah watched on in concern as Freya appeared to increase the force with which she held the young wolf against the store's door, eliciting not only another cry of discomfort from the girl, but also a loud creaking noise as the wood beneath the wolf's body strained from the pressure.

"If you've hurt her…."

Klaus was suddenly by Freya's side, a mixture of anger and worry evident in his voice when he spoke.

"Freya, let the wolf speak. My daughter is with Keelin, and if something is amiss…."

The witch seemed to contemplate her brothers request for a few seconds before nodding briefly and relaxing her hold on Alanna so that she could speak freely again - though not enough to allow the wolf to actually move away from the store building.

"I understand that you seem to have a quarrel with my family wolf – but if you have some information with regards to my daughter's current keeper, please share it. I need to know that Hope is safe."

Rebekah was taken back slightly by the uncharacteristic softness in her brother's voice. It filled her with far more uneasiness than had the hybrid had been screaming threats and profound curses at the newcomer.

Alanna held on to her defiant look of hatred for a few seconds longer as her eyes flicked between Freya and Klaus, before her features subtly relaxed and she dropped her head down low, no longer able to maintain eye contact with either of the Mikaelson's.

"Keelin's wolf hormones have not been under her own bodies influence for well over a week now. The Hollow cast a spell that enabled…."

"The Hollow?!" Freya interrupted angrily, causing the captive wolf to look up at her with a sheepish look. "You're working with the Hollow?!"

"Freya, let the furry upstart speak" Rebekah asked of her sister, increasing aware of the fact that her niece was still with the Malraux wolf - who, it was transpiring, appeared to be in some sort of trouble.

The witch let out a heavy breath, as she motioned to the wolf to continue with a curt nod of her head.

"As I was saying, the Hollow cast a spell that freed Keelin's inner wolf from the cycle of the moon, and which also enabled our Alpha, Hatch, access to Keelin's wolf traits. We…." The wolf stumbled momentarily over her words, before continuing. "…I thought that the idea was to force her to turn into her animal form and kill you," Alanna looked pointedly at Freya, "when you least expected it. Hatch nearly succeeded too - but he failed just short of making Keelin morph fully. Something was blocking him completing the transformation, but we did not know what."

Freya's eyes widened as she registered with both horror and embarrassment what the wolf was implying.

"The night that my back was…..that was the work of your Alpha?! He was there, in Keelin's mind?"

Rebekah watched as Alanna bowed her head down low again, breaking eye contact with her elder sister.

"Yes."

 **2.**

Freya's emotions ran riot through her, as she tried desperately to reconcile the information that Alanna was telling them. Her fury at the young wolf was absolute, and it was taking a great deal of will power and restraint to not unleash the full strength of her anger onto the girl right there and then. Had it not been for the presence of her siblings, and the fresh spark of fear for the safety of her niece that was slowly growing in size, the witch knew that Alanna would have already been dead – body crushed under the weight of her wrath.

And now the revelation that her recent night of heated passion with Keelin, had apparently not just been between herself and the wolf, was turning her stomach into twisted knots of violation.

i _How much was the Neivera Alpha able to see or sense when he was controlling her lover? Had any of the fierce love making that night been with her girlfriend, or had it all been the work of the male wolf?_ /i

Disturbing questions continued to flood through her spiralling mind at 100 miles per hour, as Alanna resumed her explanation.

"The pressure was on us to make the spell work to its full potential, so Hatch had me invite Keelin to come and stay with the pack out in the Bayou. He knew that there must have been another spell counter acting the one the Hollow had cast, or a barrier of some sort which stopped Keelin transforming into a wolf completely. However even after a couple of days spent in her company, he still couldn't figure out what the obstacle was – so yesterday evening he suggested to Keelin that she attempted to transform into her wolf form, in the pretence that it may help her regain control over the hormone issues that we had deceived her into believing were occurring. He knew that if Keelin was aware of something blocking her transformations, she would either mention it, or remove it herself before turning."

The young girl sighed, as guilt slowly began to make its way into her expression.

"Keelin went out into the privacy of the swamp in an attempt to try and turn, and the moment that Hatch felt the barrier dissipate he forced his own wolf mind into Keelin's body, triggering her transformation and completely taking over her animal form."

Freya's mind swam with a sickening mixture of hate and worry, as she heard her sister interrupt the Neveira wolf's account.

"So Keelin had no awareness that he was controlling her?"

Alanna shook her head.

"No, none. She remembers nothing of the night's activities. Of what….of what Hatch made her do." The young wolf's voice broke, as emotion seemed to boil over into her words.

The sudden apparent display of concern and guilt form the young wolf for what they had done to Keelin, only served to infuriate Freya further. She had to bite down on her tongue briefly to try and steady the magic surging fiercely inside of her, before she spoke again, punctuating each word with palpable effort.

"What did he make her do?"

The young wolf closed her eyes as she continued, and Freya could see evidence of tears beginning to form along their rims.

"Hatch needed to be sure that his control over her will when in animal form was absolute - that there would be no resistance from Keelin whatsoever when the time came to execute the Hollow's plan. So a group of the Hollow's followers rounded up some drunk tourists from the city, and lured them out into the Bayou after kicking out time in the bars. Hatch made Keelin hunt them down….and eventually kill every one of them."

Freya's mouth dropped open slowly in shock at the revelation.

"He made her kill them….in cold blood?!"

Without opening her eyes Alanna nodded her head in affirmation, causing the tears that had been collecting on their rims to fall freely down her cheeks.

The witch saw her brother vigorously shake his head impatiently, out of the corner of her eye.

"Enough! What has this got to do with my family!"

Alanna raised her head and looked the hybrid straight on with her bloodshot blue eyes.

"I had thought the Hollow's plan was to have Hatch force Keelin's wolf form to kill you and your siblings, one by one - on an evening whilst she was staying within your family home. But I was deceived." The wolf turned her gaze back to Freya as she continued. "You were never the true target."

"Then who is the bloody target?" asked Rebekah, the vampire's tone now matching the impatience of her brother's.

Realisation dawned on Freya, before Alanna had chance to respond – hear heart sinking as she uttered the intended victims name, her voice only just above a whisper.

"Hope."

Klaus quickly grabbed Freya's upper arm in a rough hold, causing the witch to glance at her brother in surprise.

"The protection spell you cast onto my daughter earlier today - tell me that it is still in place and working Sister!"

The witch's heart sank even further when she realised the grave error in judgement she had made when casting the spell that morning.

"Yes, but I granted immunity from the spell to all of our family - and Keelin."

Rage flared up into the hybrids face, as his eyes turned from their normal light blue hue into the swirling amber tones of his hybrid form.

"Klaus…I didn't know…."

A deep growl emitted from deep within the hybrid's throat, before he forcefully pushed Freya's arm out of his grip, and disappeared into the surrounding crowds with a blur of supernatural speed.

Rebekah was suddenly by Freya's side filling the void left in their brother's wake, as she glowered angrily at the young wolf still pressed up against the creaking wooden door.

"Where are Keelin and my niece now?

Alanna's eye's dropped once more to the floor, looking every bit ashamed for her part in the youngest Mikaelson's current predicament.

"Inside the funhouse, but…."

Before the young wolf had chance to finish her sentence, Rebekah had sped off in pursuit of her hybrid brother, leaving both Freya and Alanna behind.

 **3.**

Despite the evening's aging status, various groups of revellers were still only just making their way onto Bourbon St to begin their quest for amusement and alcohol within the Quarters on-going carnival. As they were reaching the entrance to the festivities, none of the passing people seemed to notice the two female figures huddled in the entrance-way of the Crawdaddy & Co gift store – their attention instead demanded by the bright lights and loud music coming from further down the road.

Freya stood facing Alanna with her hands still raised slightly in front of her, as she continued to apply telekinetic pressure on the wolf's body - trapping the girl up against the store's door. A swirling pot of emotions was currently boiling over within the pit of her stomach, prodding and poking at the blonde's insides as she attempted in vein to calm her thoughts. The young wolf facing her had not made a sound in the few seconds since both Klaus and Rebekah had rushed off in an attempt to locate Hope, and her head was still cowed downwards towards the ground.

Despite all of the anger and questions swimming around inside of the witch's head, one thought kept surfacing for air above all of the rest, demanding an answer to its current state of confusion. But when she attempted to express the query, Freya found that her voice was subdued into an almost inaudible whisper due to the weight of worry and confusion currently pressing down upon her.

"Why….why Keelin?"

Alanna's head raised up slightly, giving the witch a clearer view of the girls flushed, wet cheeks. Her tone matched the subdued volume of Freya's as she replied.

"The Hollow needed someone that was close to your family, someone that was trusted enough to have free access to Hope - but also someone who was not under the constant scrutinisation that your paranoid Hybrid brother seems to reserve just for his immediate family."

The wolf paused briefly, sighing to herself before continuing.

"Keelin was seen as the weakest link in the Mikaelson's inner circle."

Red, raw rage surged up within Freya's core once more, causing her vision to shake as a snarl grew on her lips. Within a heartbeat, the magic flowing out of the witch's hands had intensified, crushing the Neivera wolf even harder against the barrier behind her, and eliciting a sharp cry of pain from the captives lips as her eyes scrunched shut. Crimson lines of blood began to slither their way out of the wolf's nostril's and ears, as the increasing pressure upon her body started to cause the veins and arteries inside of her to hemorrhage .

"She is NOT weak!"

"I…I didn't say…she was." The wolf's words struggled to make it past the cries of pain that were building up within her. "She is a better person…than any….of you….murdering bastards. You don't deserve…her."

Freya's emerald green eyes continued to bore into the young girl with brutal intensity, as her frustration began to reach a crescendo. The unwanted image of the young wolf leaning forward to kiss Keelin resurfaced into her mind briefly.

"And you think you do deserve her? What makes you any better than me?!"

Alanna's eyes suddenly shot up to lock onto the green orbs staring at her, pure hate radiating from the wolf as she strained against Freya's magic to push her head forward towards the witch. When she spoke, her words were punctuated and hard, like a hammer trying to drive a nail home into a piece of wood.

"You…killed...my… sister! "

A flicker of confusion cut through the anger flowing through Freya's mind, as she registered what the wolf had said.

"You and your…bastard hybrid brother….murdered my whole family.…slaughtered over half of our pack!"

Alanna's sudden burst of anger rapidly changed into despair, as tears began to stream freely down her face.

"You…deserve everything…that's coming to you!"

The witch's eyes rapidly moved back and forth as she attempted to search her memory for what the wolf spoke of. She was certain that she had never even heard of the Neivera pack before the past week, let alone crossed paths with them in a violent confrontation. She could not deny that she had gotten blood on her hands over the years, in the ever persistent pursuit of protecting her family – and not all of it from people who had deserved it either. But she could not recall having ever taken the lives of any pack wolves.

"I'd never even heard of your pack until a few days ago!"

"LIAR!" The wolf shouted as loudly as her blood filling lungs would allow. "I was there…I saw you kill her. I….I….held her as she died from the wounds YOU inflicted."

Shaking her head, Freya's patience finally reached the end of its tether - she needed to get to the Funhouse, before she lost both the woman she loved and her niece to the Hollow's continued vendetta against her family.

Releasing her hold on Alanna, she watched with disdain as the wolf's body instantly crumpled down to the floor. As the girl made contact with the ground, her head hit the edge of the concrete step leading up to the store front's door, creating a sickening cracking sound as both her scalp and skull split in unison.

No movement followed.

Taking one final look down at the Neivera pack member, Freya snarled out a few last words before turning to make her way back into the Carnival - not caring whether the wolf was alive to hear them or not.

"You had better hope that no one I love dies tonight wolf - else I swear that what does remain of your pack will not live to see the morning light."

 **4.**

Hayley lightly chewed on her lip as she steadily made her way through the dense vegetation of the New Orleans Bayou. She had been slowly following a diminishing trail of blood, using just her hybrid enhanced sense of smell, for well over half-an-hour now - and unease was slowly starting to creep up her spine as the scent of copper became fainter with each step she took.

The hybrid had headed straight for Mary's cabin as soon as she had got to the Bayou, on the off-chance that the wolf elder had made her way back to her modest home after speaking with the Neivera pack leader, Hatch. Hayley had not been overly surprised however when she had arrived to discover that familiar wooden building was empty, and appeared to have been that way for quite a few hours. After re-familiarising herself with the elder's scent, the hybrid had quickly taken off into the woodlands in an attempt to trace the path Mary had undertook when embarking upon her daily perimeter patrol – using her nose to follow the scent molecules left behind by the wolf, and sharpened hybrid vision to detect any signs of a trail left behind in the foliage.

It had not taken long before Hayley had stumbled upon what she believed must have been the bloody scene that Mary had described to her on the phone, earlier in the day. Just as the elder had portrayed, the ground that covered the small clearing had been peppered with large patches of blood and gore, still mostly wet due to the damp conditions of the bayou's already saturated terrain. The differing aromas of copper that had filled the air had been quite distinct; leading the hybrid to lend credence to elder wolf's suspicion that more than one person had recently lost their life in that place.

As she had slowly paced around the clearing, trying to pick out any clues or evidence as to what may have caused such carnage, the hybrids nose had suddenly been drawn to one particular scent of blood which had started to fill the air just as she came to the far side of the unpleasant scene. Hayley's insides had quickly tied themselves into a knot when she had instantly recognised Mary's fragrance intermixed with the coppery bouquet.

i _Mary had been hurt_. /i

Quick to react, the hybrid had left the unsavoury scene behind as she had begun to follow the wolf elder's scent, its presence weaving along through the surrounding marsh-land.

And now here she was – having traced Mary's blood for well over a couple of miles, but apparently still no closer to finding her close friend.

i _Dammit Mary, you old fool, what have you gotten yourself into now?_ /i

As she came to a halt in an attempt to regain her bearings in the dark, shadow filled woodland, Hayley's ears slowly became aware of a faint noise floating through the air, seeming to originate from somewhere on her far left. Slowing her breathing down so as to cut down on the noise that she was making, the hybrid attempted to discern what exactly it was she could hear faintly in the wind.

i _Is that chanting?_ /i

Taking once last look around her position, Hayley started to gradually make her way in the direction of the noise that she could hear, hoping that whatever the commotion turned out to be, it would in some way help her in locating the missing Elder Wolf.

After a couple of minutes heading in the new direction, the hybrid could begin see lights glowing faintly ahead of her, which seemed to be suspended in the air - a good few meters off the ground. As she slowly made her way closer, Hayley could see that the bulbs creating the light were not in fact floating above the ground, but instead attached to the roofs of several trailer vans, that were all parked in a large clearing close to the Bayou's water's edge.

i _This must be the Neivera pack's encampment!_ /i

Hayley jumped suddenly, as the phone sitting in her jeans back pocket began to vibrate against her left butt-cheek. Sweeping her eyes back and forth across the parked trailer vans ahead to make sure that no one had been alerted to her presence, the hybrid crouched down next to the trunk of a large fallen tree, and pulled the cell into her hand to answer the incoming call - her voice barely a whisper as she spoke into the microphone.

"Freya, I'm kind of in the middle of something right now, can I call you ba…."

i _"Hayley, this is urgent. Where are you?"_ /i

Thrown by Freya's abrupt sounding interruption, the hybrid felt the beginnings of worry begin to creep into her mind.

"On the outskirts of the Neivera encampment – I think anyway. I found the area of the Bayou where Mary discovered the signs of a wolf attack, and I have been tracking a trail of blood which led away from the site. It's brought me right here, to the new wolf packs camp."

i " _That blood belonged to a group tourists, which had been lured into the Bayou to be killed by….. well it's a long story. But the short version is the Neivera pack is in league with the Hollow, and they are trying to use Keelin to kill Hope as we speak."_ /i

Cold fear abruptly rushed through the hybrid's veins at the mention of her daughter's name, as she hastily tried to register the witch's words.

"Hope is still with you all though, right? She's protected?"

The hesitancy in Freya's reply, struck panic into the hybrid's heart, as she felt like all of the air in her lungs had been suddenly kicked out of her by a hard, swift foot to the chest.

i _"…..I won't lie Hayley, she's in danger right now and we need to act fast. The Neivera pack leader, Hatch, is inside of Keelin's mind, controlling her actions. You need to find him and break the connection between them, in case we can't get to Hope quick enough. "_ /i

"Not get to her quick enough?! Why where is she?" Alarm was now fully leaking into the Hybrid's voice as she struggled to stop herself from losing control in the face of her daughter's life being in danger once more. "And why would he want to control Keelin's…..actually never mind, I don't need to know! Just tell me how I break his connection to her?"

The witch's reply was curt and full of spite, giving Hayley the impression that there was definitely more to the evening's revelations than she currently knew.

i _"I'm pretty sure his death should do it!"_ /i

"Ok, got it! And Freya, if Hope…." Hayley's voice broke, as she tried to contain the fear for her daughter rushing through her body.

i _"I know Hayley – we're not going to let anything happen to her, I swear it!"_ /i

The hybrid nodded her head to herself, knowing that every member of the Mikaelson family would do anything it took to save her daughter from harm.

i _"Just try and get to Hatch quickly! The connection needs to be broken."_ /i

Hayley heard the line click as Freya broke the connection from her end.

As she refocused her line of sight on the various trailer vans pitched ahead of her, the hybrid's mind ran amuck with panic. How was it possible that her daughter's life was once again in danger from the Hollow's deviant plans. She had been so sure that after Vincent had been successful in removing the evil spirit from Hope's body, the young girl would never be troubled by such atrocities at the hand of the Hollow ever again. Sure the spell hadn't gone exactly to plan, and consequently they had no longer known the whereabouts of the spirit. But it had appeared that the ancient demon had failed at securing its place within a body during that fateful afternoon, so she had thought they would at least have a slight reprieve from its relentless attack on her family.

i _She should have gotten Hope as far away from New Orleans as possible when she had had the chance_!/i

Turning her head back towards the trailer vans whilst she remained crouched down by the moss covered trunk, Hayley tried to guess just how many voices were contributing to the chanting sounds emanating from what seemed to be the hidden centre of the encampment.

i _Five maybe? Ten? Urgh - it was impossible to tell from her current concealed position_ /i

The hybrid stood up once more, shaking off the few damp leaves and twigs that had attached themselves to her tight skinny jeans as she make one last sweep of the scene in front of her with her eyes. She needed to get closer, and fast if the urgency in Freya's voice had been anything to go by. Her daughter's life was in danger thanks to this traitorous wolf pack – and she had a sneaky feeling that when she found Hatch and the rest of his people, she would find Mary too.

i _Hopefully still alive and breathing_ /i


	20. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19.**

 **1.**

"Just try and get to Hatch quickly! The connection needs to be broken."

Freya could see the Funhouse up ahead, as she ended her call to Hayley and re-pocketed her phone. The witch had been forcefully pushing her way through the thickening crowds in the street, in an attempt to reach the carnival attraction as quickly as she could, whilst talking on the phone to her niece's mother. She had hated having to alert the hybrid to the danger that Hope was currently in – and loathed even more having to tell her that it was Keelin who was the current cause of threat. But the fact of the matter was that if she and her siblings could not reach Hope soon enough, then Hayley finding and killing Hatch was their next best chance of saving the young witch. Because if they all failed, Keelin in her wolf form was likely to try and hurt….possibly even kill…..

i _NO! No – she could not let herself think that!_ /i

The witch came to a brief stop in her advance, trying to rub away the painful headache that was beginning to form behind her eyes with a shaking hand, as the full implementations of their current predicament crashed over her with noticeable force – turning her legs to rigid stone.

Her mind reeled with guilt as she quickly played over the past few instances that she and Keelin had been in each-others company and the wolf had shown signs of an internal struggle. There had been what - two, maybe three times that if the blonde admitted it to herself, she should have known something more was at play than just an unusual hormone surge.

The morning her girlfriend had first snapped at her outside of the Compound – eyes ablaze with primal anger, and sharp teeth bared in a vicious snarl. Keelin had looked like she was actually going to lunge for Freya's neck to sink those long canines into the soft flesh of the witch's throat. The witch had believed in the aftermath of that morning that she wouldn't have been capable of using magic to defend herself against Keelin, had the wolf actually tried to attack her. But the fact of the matter was she had thrown her hands up ready for doing just that – an instinctive reaction to some part of her mind realising there had been a definite threat present in that brief moment.

i _Then the night of their love making_./i

Freya shuddered slightly as she stood with her head still in her hands. She thought about Alanna's confirmation that the Neivera pack leader, Hatch, had been inside of Keelin's head on the evening when she had last been intimate with her girlfriend - trying to control the wolf's actions.

Her lover had seemed very much in control of her own actions when Freya had first arrived at the newly rented apartment – gentle and caring as the witch had engulfed her in an embrace and admitted the love which had been building inside of her. Their kisses had been tender and full of longing to begin with, excitement slowly building as their tongues had delicately explored each-others mouths. But then Freya remembered Keelin's demeanour had suddenly changed - her girlfriend becoming far more dominant and assertive than she had ever previously been before during their intimate moments.

Freya had to admit that she had initially enjoyed the fact that her wolf had wanted to domineer over their intimacy that evening – the strength with which the brunette had hoisted her up onto the kitchen counter and pushed her down into a submissive position, had sent flashes of heat coursing through the blonde's thighs and stomach, causing more than just the one moan of pleasure to escape from her kiss-swelled lips.

Not that she hadn't known that Keelin had a feisty side to her – the wolf had certainly on more than one occasion flashed glimpses of her confidence to the witch, when it came to getting what she wanted sexually. But the brunette had also known that she was Freya's first intimate experience with another woman, and had been for the most part letting Freya set the pace for which their physical encounters had progressed, not wanting to make her girlfriend do anything that she wasn't ready for.

The point that Freya had known deep down that something wasn't quite right with her lover that evening, was when Keelin had completely expressed all of her razor-sharp canines, and used them to rip the witch's jeans and panties from her body, in a frenzied display of domination over the person lay under her. The witch had thought in the moment that the intense look of hunger and craving that had flared in the wolfs amber glowing eyes had been born out of pure passion and lust. But as she thought back to the expression on her lover's face Keelin had leant down and grabbed the denim fabric of Freya's pants between her wolf teeth - the witch realised that there had been some malice and cruelty evident in Keelin's features, as well as desire.

i _Had Keelin even been present in her own mind at that point? Or had it been Hatch who had pinned her down on the kitchen counter, using Keelin's wolf instincts to gain intimate access to Freya whilst she was at her most vulnerable? He would have known the witch's guard was completely down to the possibility of threat or danger._ /i

Keelin had admitted herself the morning after that she had no memory of causing the bloody injuries to Freya's back. So the male wolf had definitely been present for at least some of their more intimate moments that evening.

i _Had the Kyanite ring on Keelin's finger been the only thing that had prevented her lover from completely ripping her apart that evening, whilst under the control of the Neivera wolf?_ /i

Freya could feel bile begin to rise up in her throat as the thought of a complete stranger invading Keelin's mind in such an intimate manner, sullied her being – the thought of him using the wolf's body against her will to harm someone she loved.

i _She hoped to god that Hayley made the Neivera pack leader suffer, just before she killed him_ /i

The witch gritted her teeth as she tried to focus her mind back on to the immediate threat that needed to command her attention – filing away her inner turmoil over the violation of Keelin's mind for a later time. Forcing her legs to move forward once more, she pushed past the last few people in her way, before coming to a stop a few meters in front of the Funhouse building.

Immediately her eyes fixed on the sight of both her brother and sister kneeling in front of the building's entranceway - both of whom seemed to be struggling to stand up, with frustration and anger evident on their faces. Freya quickly swept her eyes to either side of her siblings, and instantly found what she assumed to be the cause of their current predicament. Stood only a few feet to Klaus's left, was a thin looking man with his back to her, who had one arm raised up at his side and pointed towards her family members. She could feel the power that was radiating out of his hand towards her siblings, even from the distance at which she was stood – indicating that the stranger dressed in black was a witch, and currently managing to hold both her hybrid brother and vampire sister on the spot, against their will.

Flicking her eyes over the large, haphazardly shaped Funhouse, Freya could also detect an enchantment surrounding the building itself – engulfing it in a cocoon of energy.

i _It must be a boundary spell – he's making sure that no one can get in to try and stop Hatch from making Keelin harming Hope. Which means he works for the Hollow…._ /i

Anger flared up inside of her, as she readied her own magic before stalking towards the Hollow's witch. Both Klaus and Rebekah's eyes widened as she came into their line of vision - their heads held fast in place by the magic being projected onto them by the man stood nearby.

As she approached the male witch from behind, he seemed to sense the arrival of a new power and twisted his body round to face Freya – his out-stretched hand never dropping from exerting force down upon the two Original's next to him.

"Ah, the supposedly all powerful Mikaelson witch, come to try and rescue her pathetic family from their inevitable demise. I have heard impressive things about your capabilities – this should be interesting!"

The weasel framed man smirked at Freya, as he slowly rolled his head around on his neck - appearing to be stretching his muscles in preparation for a confrontation.

"Let us pit our magic's against each other witch, for you will soon come to realise that Mikaelson or not, you are no match for a true devout follower of the almighty Hollow!"

Freya cocked her head slightly to the side, raising an arched eyebrow at the man in front of her as he continued to speak.

"For the almighty and all powerful spirit has empowered me with her trust, and I will crush anyone who….."

The male witch's speech suddenly trailed off, despite the fact that his lips kept moving in a wordless motion as his eyes widened into a look of disbelief. Droplets of blood started to emerge from his mouth, as a sloshing gurgling sound could be heard emitting from the depths of his throat. The beginnings of a frown formed on the Hollow's followers brow just before the legs holding his body up gave way, as his form crumpled to the ground – coming to rest as a lifeless heap on the tarmacked street.

Klaus and Rebekah's rigid postures instantly relaxed, as heavy breaths left both of their chests in force. Rebekah's head turned towards her sister as she panted, confusion evident in her features as she took in the sight before her.

Freya stood looking down at the dead body of the Hollow's follower, her hand outstretched in front of her as it held within its grasp the gory remains of a human heart. Swelling blood droplets dripped down from the once beating organ, narrowly missing the witch's leather boots as they hit the ground in front of her.

Flitting her eyes over to her siblings, Freya shrugged her shoulders in a matter-of-fact fashion - a small smirk forming on her lips as she spoke to them both.

"Now there was someone who liked the sound of his own voice way too much!"

 **2.**

Hope giggled for what she felt must have been at least the millionth time that night, as she watched one of her newly made friends stick out his tongue and forcefully blow a raspberry at the silly picture hanging up in front of him.

The five of them were near the exit of one of the Funhouses many feature rooms, loosely stood together in a group as they watched one of the small boys, Johnny, continue to make fun of a green holographic image of a Werewolf, which appeared to protrude out of the wooden frame encasing it. Hope had seen pictures of its nature before, designed to make it appear like the figure within them was jumping out of the canvas upon which it was printed , whenever you slightly changed the angle with which you looked at it. It was a basic trick to try and scare young children like herself into thinking that the devious creature depicted was a threat to them – and one which had failed on all accounts in this instance.

"It will bite your tongue clean off if you're not careful Johnny!" laughed one of the girl's stood next to him - who Hope had learned earlier, was called Paige.

Johnny turned his head briefly towards the rest of them, a large unimpressed smirk sitting on his face.

"Don't be daft Paige, it's not real. Besides, even if Werewolf's were real – which they are not - I could take one on with my bare hands, and totally kick its ass!"

The girl stood closest to her, Neive, whom the young witch had first spoken to outside of the Funhouse as they had both marvelled at the buildings colourful exterior, grabbed onto her arm lightly and whispered in a low tone, so as not to be heard by the others.

"I think they are real, my daddy say's that he once saw one out near the marshlands."

Hope was about to tell her new friend that not only did Werewolf's definitely exist, but her own mummy used to be one – when a loud clattering noise coming from the room that they had just passed through, interrupted her train of thought.

All five of the kid's had clearly heard the crashing sound reverberate over the strange melodic music that was being pumped into the holographic image filled room that they stood in - and consequently all were now looking back towards the closed door through which they had passed only a few minutes ago.

Johnny slowly came up to stand alongside Hope, stopping with his hands balled into fists at his sides as he eyed the wooden entranceway with child-like suspicion.

"Did you all hear that?"

"Yeah…what was it Johnny?"

Hope turned her attention briefly away from the door ahead to see that it had been Simon, the other boy in the group, who has posed the question.

"I dunno – but I don't remember there being anything that made loud noises like that, when we ran through there!"

Neive, who had previously let go of Hope's arm upon being shocked by the clattering sound, once again reached out for the small witch's limb - clasping her clammy palm around Hope's pale skin.

The young witch watched as Johnny quickly shook his head to himself and laughed, as though trying to shake off the embarrassment of having been spooked by the strange sound they had all heard. As he began to walk towards the closed door that they currently stared at, he turned his head back towards the group and spoke to them in what he must have considered to be a tough cowboys voice – although Hope thought it sounded more like the goofy Woody character, out of the film Toy Story that she had once watched with her mummy.

"Fear not little ladies, I'll protect you all from the evil bad guys. Why, with my trusty steed and my gun slinging…."

The boy's speech was cut off sharply, as a loud head-splitting howl cut through the air, piercing the young group's ears as it vibrated through the wooden boards that enclosed the small room in which they all stood.

Johnny visibly froze in his tracks, his arms and legs all becoming rigid as the sound slowly began to dissipate into the air.

"W..Wh..What was that?" whispered Paige, as she tentatively sidled up beside both Hope and Neive.

Hope's eyes didn't leave the wooden door ahead of them as she responded, matching Neive's subdued tone.

"It sounded like a wol…..ARGH!"

Every one of the small group visibly jumped and let out un-filtered screams, as a large force collided with the opposite side of the closed entranceway ahead of them - causing the wooden barrier to violently rattle on its hinges.

A couple of seconds passed, before the door was once again forcibly hit from inside the room which the children had passed through earlier. Long cracks visibly appeared in the barrier this time, with small splinters of wood breaking off and landing on the floor ahead of them.

The sight of the wooden fragments hitting the ground was enough to snap Hope out of her shocked daze. She quickly lent forward and grabbed onto the thin hood that sat on the back of Johnny's blue jumper - pulling on it sharply so as to grab the attention of the boy who was still frozen in shock and wrench him further away from the splintering door.

"Everyone run! We need to get out of here!"

Quickly turning to look at the other kids, Hope saw that they all remained fixed in place, unresponsive to the words she had just spoken. Both Paige and Neive had tears rolling down their faces as they continued to stare straight ahead, whilst Simon cowered behind them, bent down slightly as he nervously gnawed on one of his thumbnails.

With her hand still gripped onto Johnny's jumper, Hope surged towards the exit door behind the group, which would lead them all out of the holographic room and into what she assumed would be the next tame illusion that the Funhouse had to offer. As she passed by the two weeping girls, the young witch slapped both of them on their shoulders with her free hand, trying to break them out of their stupor.

Another loud splintering sound reverberated through the room, signifying that whatever was trying to gain access to the children, was persistently continuing with its plight.

Reaching the timber door which would lead them out, hope quickly turned the rickety handle and threw it open, causing a whoosh of stale smelling air to whistle by her face as it escaped from its shadowy prison. The room beyond appeared to be dimly lit, and the small witch could not immediately tell what carnival theme it would be presenting to them when they entered.

Hope pulled sharply on Johnny's hood, causing him to stumble past her and across the doorway into the gloomy area ahead. Twisting her body around, she shouted at the top of her voice towards the remaining kids, still frozen in place a few steps away.

"Guys….MOVE!"

Just as the last word left her mouth, Hope both saw and heard the battered entrance to the holographic room finally give way, as large pieces of its wooden remains crashed onto the floor. There, stood panting in the now open space, was what looked to be the largest dog the young witch had ever seen. As the brown furred animal quickly shook itself free of the wooden splinters that had caught up in its thick pelt, two bright yellow eyes fixed upon the young witch – a low deep growl forming somewhere in the back of its throat.

i _No, not dog….Wolf!_ /i

Hope felt a surge of energy overcome her body, as adrenaline pumped through her veins in response to the sight ahead of her. Leaning forward, she grabbed both of the two girls jackets, and pulled them backwards, causing the youngsters to stumble past the witch and into the room behind her. Simon, finally removing the well chewed upon thumb out of his mouth, quickly ran past Hope as he followed his two female friends, whimpering quietly to himself as he went.

Turning her head swiftly to face the snarling threat once more, Hope watched as the wolf began to quickly hunch down on its hind legs, readying itself to leap forwards in her direction. Without hesitation, the young witch spun around and threw herself over the exit's threshold, catching the hinged door with her small hand as she passed by, and pushing it as hard as she could. As she heavily collided with Johnny, who has not moved from the spot where he had stumbled to seconds earlier, she turned her head just in time to see the wooden barrier slam home into its latch as the wolf's angry face reached the exit.

A thunderous crash sounded out as the feral animal inevitably collided with the door, causing harsh vibrations to be felt by all five of the children.

Quickly turning around and roaming her eyes over the murky room in which they all now stood, Hope desperately searched for the next exit point for them to run out of. As her eyes passed over Paige and Neive, she saw that they too were drifting frightened eyes over the space around them, seemingly having snapped out of their initial shell shock.

"There's no exit….I…I can't see an exit…." Simons small voice piped up behind Hope, its pitch raised high with fear.

"What was that?"

All four sets of worried eyes focused in on Johnny, as his small subdued voice struggled to fill the space between them. The boys posture was one of a rigid statue, as his eyes lay fixed on the floor just ahead of Hope, unfocused and devoid of childhood innocence.

"That was a…" Hope paused briefly, as she wondered whether telling the group the truth would only make their fears increase in magnitude, "…a Werewolf."

"But they don't exist! My mummy say's monsters are not real!" Simon exclaimed, as he once again began chewing on this worn down thumb nail.

A loud bang against the entrance's wooden door made the whole group jump again, as the wolf on the other side began once again trying to reach the youngsters.

"Everyone, to the back of the room!" shouted Hope, as she raised her arms in a herding manner.

There was no hesitation in their compliance this time, as the other kids nervously followed the young witch's lead and huddled together as they quickly made their way across the darkened room. It rapidly became evident that Simon's earlier observation of there being no obvious exit point from their location was indeed correct, as the group reach the far-side wall of the room.

"Crap!"

Hope internally berated herself for using a word that she knew her mummy would disapprove of – however given their current situation the witch figured that she could be should be allowed a little forgiveness for her uncharacteristic slip in manners.

The entrance door to the room splintered inwards, as another loud collision caused it to buckle on its hinges. Looking at its battered form, Hope knew that it would only take one more forced attempt from the wolf before the door completely shattered away from its precarious position.

"What do we do….what do we do?" screamed Paige, as she grabbed hold of Hope's upper arm in a painful, vice-like grip.

Both Neive and Simon started crying in earnest, loudly sobbing as they pressed themselves up against the back wall of the room, in attempt to place as much distance between them and the crumbling doorway. Johnny remained stood next to Hope, as he stared ahead in disbelief - his mind struggling to process all that was happening around him.

Hope quickly glanced down to her right arm, where the ever present glistening gold bracelet hung delicately in place. With a look of steeled determination forming on her face, the young witch quickly hooked her finger under the jewellery's small clasp, and unlatched its grip, causing the delicate chain to fall from her wrist, and onto the floor.

Determinedly looking up towards the fragile doorway across the room, Hope shouted out to her frightened companions, as she simultaneously reached with her mind into the swirling pool of power that she knew dwelled deep within her.

"All of you - get behind me, now!"

"What….why?" mumbled Simon, as he risked a quick terrified glance towards Hope.

"NOW!"

Just the two girls and Simon began to follow the young witch's request and shuffle behind her small frame, the remains of the wooden door ahead of them forcefully shattered inwards, as the large wolf burst through the entranceway – skidding across the floor in their direction as it landed on all four of its paws. Loud screams emitted from both Paige and Neive as the ferocious looking animal tugged back its gums and bared razor sharp teeth in their direction, a deep growl emitting from its throat. Long tendrils of spittle dripped down from the wolf's quivering jaws, as savage eyes focused upon Hope's small frame - its large head lowering down towards the ground in preparation to leap forward towards the girl.

Quickly drawing from her internal well of power, Hope threw her arms out in front of her body - palms up and facing towards the threat ahead of her – and forced all of the magic that she could muster down into her hands.

The wolf tensed its hind legs and sprang forward towards Hope, its mouth opening wide as it sailed through the air towards her - flashing a full set of cut throat fangs ready to tear away at any soft flesh they could sink into. The smallest Mikaelson screamed out as she drove the energy collected in her hands outwards, feeling it rapidly spreading around her and the other kids huddled up close to her back.

"LEAVE US ALONE!"

She watched with determined steadfastness, as the muzzle of the wolf came to an abrupt stop at around half a metre in front of her, its nose and jowls squishing up against what appeared to be a solid, invisible barrier. As the rest of the animal's body rapidly caught up with its head, it was contorted into a compacted furry mass as it pressed up against the wall of energy, before appearing to be forcibly pushed backwards, landing clumsily on the floor a few metres away from the children.

A faint smell of singed fur made its way into Hope's nostrils, as she watched the felled wolf pick itself up off the floor, and shake its large head as it attempted to regain its bearings. Spittle flew out in all directions as its muzzle shook rapidly from side to side, briefly highlighting the young witches otherwise invisible barrier, as the foamy liquid splashed onto its surface.

"H..How are you doing that?!"

Despite her terrified state, Neive's voice still managed to sound full of childlike awe as she questioned Hope's actions.

Turning her head slightly towards the young girl's voice, Hope managed a small smile as she quickly replied.

"It's magic, I'm a wit….."

Hope's smile quickly faded and her voice trailed off as she caught sight of a small figure stood out to the far side of her, beyond the reach of the energy barrier encasing the children huddled behind her.

Johnny was standing frozen in place with his mouth gaping wide open as he glared at the large wolf a few feet ahead of his position. Realisation dawned on Hope as she flicked her eyes quickly between the young boy, and the now crouched beast that had its glowing eye's trained upon the young witch once more.

i _He hadn't got behind her with the rest of them – he'd been too scared to move_ /i

"Johnny, get behind me!"

Her voice was just above that of a whisper, as she tried to get the boy's attention without drawing the wolf's notice. The young boy turned his head slowly in Hope's direction, shock still swirling around in his eyes as he remained rooted to the spot where he stood.

"Johnny please, you need to get closer so I can protect you!"

Hope watched with horror as the snarling wolf's eyes quickly moved over to where the young boy stood, its attention drawn away from the witch by the straggling child. Throwing its strength into its hind legs, the beast suddenly leapt in Johnny's direction, its movement a blur of brown fur as its head came down to sink its canine teeth into the child's arm that he had instinctively risen in a hopeless attempt to defend himself.

An ear-splitting screech of pain rang out into the shadowy room, as the small boy crumpled under the weight of the wolfs body – the flesh of his arm tearing away in a bloody mess as the beast ripped its mouth away from the large wound.

Hope shouted out, as anger flared up within her at the sight of her new friend collapsed on the floor beneath the bulky frame of the wolf.

"NOOO! Get away from him!"

The taste in her mouth rapidly shifted from the fruity tang of bubble-gum, to the unpleasant harsher tones of liquorice, as she balled her right hand into a fist, pushing the full might of her power reserve down into the appendage. Letting out a ruthless cry of rage, Hope unleashed the magical energy out towards the growling wolf, just as its mouth stretched wide to take a lethal bite at Johnny's neck.

The beast was violently thrown backwards before its teeth could make contact with the young boy's flesh, its body colliding sideways with considerable force into the far wall of the room. The small witch watched as the wolf's form slumped heavily down to the ground, its eyes shut as it remained in an unmoving heap.

Realising that the animal had been knocked unconscious, Hope quickly dropped her arms and ran over to where Johnny lay on the floor, his right hand closed over part of the missing flesh on his left arm. Blood was pouring out between the boy's fingers, forming a sticky pool of gore on the floor beneath him as he whimpered loudly to himself. The small witch could see that the colour was rapidly draining from Johnny's face, to be replaced with a sickly grey hue that made him look like someone who was rapidly approaching their final moments in the living world.

The boy's eyes raised from the tattered remains of his arm, as he tried in vain to focus onto Hope's face whilst she looked down worriedly at him. When he spoke, his voice was both rough and weak – his life force bleeding out of the wound on his arm along with the sticky crimson blood.

"I….I didn't think….monsters were real…"

The young witch looked back over her shoulder, at the three kids who remained huddled together where she had left them, all looking over at Johnny with disbelief and shock clearly written across their faces. Turning her attention back to the injured boy, Hope shook her head slightly and placed a gentle hand over the boy's own blood covered fingers that gripped onto his wound. Concentrating as hard as she could, the witch called forth her "bubble-gum" flavoured magic once more, pushing it down out of herself and over Johnny's arm.

"Yes, they are real. But not all of us are bad…."

 **3.**

"Freya, this is taking too long! Make it work, now!"

Klaus's voice boomed over the blonde witch's shoulder, as he irritably paced back and forth behind her. A few minutes had now passed since Freya had quickly ended the life of the Hollow's witch Jonathan, and the Original hybrid's palpable frustration had been building steadily with each passing second.

Freya had initially hoped that when the heart belonging to the over confident male witch had stopped beating, the boundary spell that he had cast around the erratically shaped Funhouse would dissipate, granting them access to the building. Unfortunately, it had turned out that the weasel man had been slightly more proficient in his craft that she had originally given him credit for - using representational magic to bind the barrier spell, instead of tying it to his own life force.

i _A lesson she had once learnt herself, the hard way_ /i

"Nik, I am sure that our sister is trying her hardest to grant us access to this run down sorry excuse for a carnival attraction! Give her some space!"

A tiny smile graced Freya's lips as she continued to concentrate on feeling out the bindings surrounding the wooden building in front of her. Rebekah always had her back, even under times of extreme stress and danger.

"Rebekah need I remind you that my daughter is in there, with a wolf that is hell bent on trying to kill her! I will give our sister some space, once her rabid girlfriend has been put down and my little girl is safe from harm!"

"Nik, that's enough!" Rebekah exasperatedly shouted, rounding to face her brother head on.

Freya winced, her already closed eyes scrunching tighter together, as her brother's anger filled words sliced into her heart.

"That is not Keelin in there – you heard what the young traitorous wolf said earlier. Someone is controlling her actions. Freya's girlfriend would never willingly harm our darling Hope…."

"And how can you be so bloody sure of that, Rebekah?"

Klaus cut the blonde vampire off, his face reddening with rage.

"How much do we even know about this wolf who has been foolishly allowed access to our home, and our lives?! Who's to say that she hasn't been working with the Hollow this entire time – deceiving us, making us think that she is someone who cares for our sister. When all along her true intentions were to try and rip my daughter away from….."

"ENOUGH!"

Both Klaus and Rebekah's eyebrows raised, as they twisted their heads towards their sister in response to her loud exclamation. Freya had turned from the front of the Funhouse, and was now stood glaring at her siblings with anger flaring in her emerald green eyes. The witch's hands were balled into fists at her side, as she addressed them through gritted teeth.

"That's enough! Keelin is not a killer, and she is not in league with the Hollow!"

"But how can you be so sure th…."

"Because I am, Klaus!" The witch cut off her brother, pointedly staring him down. "The woman I love is in there being manipulated and controlled by a snivelling coward who is too much of a chicken shit to carry out his own dirty work. I WILL save both her, and Hope - and when I'm done, I am going to make every last member of that treacherous wolf pack burn down into the hell that they deserve! They will have nothing left on them but the charred remains…."

Freya trailed off as her eyes glanced over the dead body of the male witch, which Rebekah have moved to be partially hidden behind a ticket stall, just to the left of the Funhouse.

"On him….of course! The representational totem will have had to be somewhere on him, for him to be able to perform the boundary spell here, after seeing that Keelin and Hope had entered the Funhouse."

Rebekah shared a quick confused look with Klaus before looking back at her sister.

"Mind saying that in English, love?"

Freya ignored the blonde vampires question as she rushed over to the Hollow follower's corpse. Disregarding the blood that now coated the majority of the mans clothes and arms, the witch hurriedly rummaged through the various pockets which lined his jacket and pants, finally being rewarded with the object she was searching for when her hand plunged into the black coat's inner chest pocket.

Rebekah watched on as her sister pulled out a small object from the male witch's clothing, and when the witch jostled the item in her open palm, the original vampire could see that it looked to be a child's toy in the shape of an old factory building.

"Damn, I love it when I'm right!"

The blonde witch quickly moved from the dead man's bloody remains, and walked determinedly to stand just in front of the Funhouse's entranceway. Holding out the model building in her right hand, Freya closed her eyes and quickly chanted out a spell whilst her siblings watched on expectantly.

"Frange in nexu, ad conteram sigillum…Frange in nexu, ad conteram sigillum…..Frange in nexu, ad conteram sigillum…."

As the third repetition of her enchantment completed, Freya felt both the small toy in her hand and the energy barrier surrounding the large Funhouse building crumble, breaking the enchantment enforced by the now dead weasel framed man.

"Its done, we can now enter the…."

Freya was interrupted by a great rush of air pushing past her face, causing her blonde hair to whip up into her eyes and mouth – as Klaus disappeared into the Funhouse at supernatural speed.

"KLAUS! Don't hurt Keelin…."

The witch realised it was useless shouting, as the Original hybrid was already gone. Rebekah was instantly at her side, as she placed a hand on her upper arm, gesturing towards the open entranceway.

"Come on Sis, lets go make sure everyone makes it out of this in one piece!"

Nodding her head solemnly, Freya took a deep breath, as she followed her younger sister into the carnival building – a ball of anxiety rapidly growing in size within her chest.

i _What if they were already too late?_ /i

 **4.**

Hope could feel a comforting warmth radiating out from her small hand, as she continued to pour all of her bubble-gum magic out over Johnny's bloody arm. Even with her eyes closed tight in concentration, she could sense that her efforts were having a positive effect on the young boy's condition – his breathing beginning to sound less laboured, and the beating of his heart becoming less erratic as the seconds passed by.

She could not deny however that the spell that she was performing over and over again in her mind was slowly taking its toll on her energy reserves. The young witch had previously never attempted to heal anything larger than the broken wing of a butterfly, or a shattered bone within a small rabbit's hind leg. Attempting to repair and regrow the tissue and blood vessels that had been ripped out of her friend's arm was far more complicated than she had first thought it would be, and the witch could tell that it was going to take all of the power reserves stored within her to complete the task.

i _If she could just heal him enough to stop the flow of blood, she could keep some power reserved to get them all past the wolf safely and out of the building to find her Aunty Freya's friend, Keelin_ /i

The smallest Mikaelson could hear what sounded like a faint commotion starting up behind her – the two girls and Simon whimpering to themselves, no doubt trying to come to terms with what they had just witnessed. If her new friend's could just stay brave for a few more minutes, she would have Johnny fixed up enough so that he could stand up and walk alongside them, out of this murky room and…

"HOPE, LOOKOUT!"

The young witch heard the terrified scream peel forth from Neive, instantly breaking her concentration on the healing of Johnny's arm. She quickly twisted her small frame around, eyes wide with shock – just in time to see a blur of brown fur leaping through the air towards her, several sharp teeth glistening at the centre of the shape closing in on her position. There was not enough time however to dip back into her dwindling magic supply before the wolf was upon her – its powerful front paws colliding with her head and collar bone as it landed feet first on top of her frame.

Pain seared through the young witch's body, with the smell of animal sweat tripping her gag reflex as fuzzy shadows instantly began narrow her vision. She tried to scramble out from under the wolf – tried to somehow gain enough balance to raise to her hands and knees and crawl away from the growling beast – but her efforts were quickly thwarted as Hope screamed out in pain when four sharp talons dug deep into her back, pushing her down flat onto the ground.

i _Oh god, the pain. Mummy…Daddy….I need you…./_ i

Blackness beckoned to her in earnest now, as the agony running through her body made holding onto consciousness a truly impossible task. She briefly thought she could hear her daddy's voice calling out to her from a far distance away, sounding distressed and angry - but it did not matter.

Nothing mattered anymore.

Only the beckoning oblivion that was opening up its arms to her, welcoming her in kind as she willingly fell into its cold embrace.

 **5.**

"HOPE, LOOKOUT!"

Freya and Rebekah heard a scream emitting from somewhere ahead of them in the Funhouse's labyrinth of rooms – it sounding like it had come from a girl only young in age.

A very scared and frightened young girl at that!

The two sisters quickly glanced at each other, before pushing forward in a flat out run. Many brash colours and bizarre elaborate scenes all blurred past Freya's eyes as she ran through a series of small, misshaped rooms - lagging slightly behind Rebekah who was half running at human speed, and half throwing her supernatural abilities into her advance. The irregularity of the building's layout and exits were preventing the Original vampire from utilising her enhanced pace to its full potential.

Another voice rang out, deeper this time and full of overflowing anger. Its higher volume indicated to the blonde witch that they were now only a room or two away from where the commotion unfolding.

"HOPE...NO! Get the hell away from her!"

Freya ran through what looked to be the remains of a shattered wooden doorway, nearly tripping over a large broken plain of wood as she continued to push forward through a room full of holographic images hanging from its walls. She ran through the similarly shattered frame of the chambers exit, only to come to an abrupt halt as the scene unfolding at the far side of the new dimly lit room harshly registered with her senses.

The witch could see Hope crumpled against the far wall of claustrophobic room, unmoving on the uneven floor with dark crimson stains slowly spreading out across her back. A young boy lay just to the left of her niece, also with gore across his form - only his looked to be more like dried, aged blood, which was clotting well as his body was in the midst of its healing process. Slightly to his right, stood a group of 3 small children, all hanging on to each other tightly as they sobbed to themselves in fear. Flicking her eyes to the right, she registered Rebekah attempting to hold her brother back, without much luck, as he violently struggled to free himself from the clutch that the blonde vampire had on his upper arms.

And lastly, a few metres ahead of Klaus, lay a large brown pelted wolf, which seemed to be slightly dazed as it attempted to push itself up off the ground and back onto its four muscle toned legs. As the animal managed to correct itself upright, Freya could see that the fur along its near-side flank appeared to be darker in colour than the rest of its coat - and it took the witch a few seconds to realise the reason for this matted mis-toned area was that the wolf was oozing blood out of a deep gash just above its ribs.

i _Keelin!_ /i

Klaus let out a fierce guttural sound as he finally wrenched himself free from his sister's hands - his eyes flaring a bright, feral yellow as he pushed forward to attack the wolf once more. The growling animal instantly hunched down on its legs and bared its blood covered canines, preparing to leap forward to meet the advancing hybrid midway.

Freya reacted instinctively - throwing herself in-between the snarling wolf and her enraged brother as she simultaneously raised both hands at the same time – one pointed towards Klaus, and the other towards the animal form of her girlfriend.

She only fully registered what she was doing after the enchantment words had already left her mouth.

"PROHIBERE!"

Both the Original immortal and the blood covered werewolf instantly came to a halt mid movement, eliciting an enraged cry of anger from Klaus, and a fierce snarling bark from Keelin's animal form.

As she stood breathing heavily whilst magically holding the two supernatural beings in place, Freya's eyes moved to Rebekah as she watched her swiftly shift from her position just behind Klaus, to kneel beside her unconscious niece. The vampire tenderly gripped onto the young witch's shoulders and turned her body over, so that the girls slackened face was no longer pressing against the cold floor of the Funhouse. The vampire quickly removed one of her hands which was holding onto Hope's frame, and brought it up to her mouth as she bit into her wrist with freshly extended fangs.

Rebekah immediately lowered the bleeding appendage down to the smallest Mikaelson's lips, as she attempted to encourage her niece to drink the healing blood being provided.

"FREYA, LET ME GO!"

The witch's attention was commanded back to her furious brother, who's face now had large prominent veins straining against its skin as the hybrid pushed all of his strength against the invisible barrier that Freya had hastily erected in front of him.

"No, not until you calm down!"

"CALM DOWN?! That wolf just tried to murder my daughter. It drew blood from her small innocent form – I will not calm down until its insides are spread all across this damned room's walls!"

"Klaus, let me handle this, please!" Freya could hear the desperation that she was feeling at the situation leaking into her voice, as she tried to plead with her brother. "She is being manipulated by another wolf, it's not her fault"

"Sister if you don't move immediately, I swear I will make you suffer more torment than your Aunt Dahlia ever dreamed of inflicting upon….."

"Brother please…. if you kill her, you'll kill me too." Tears of despair started to form in the witch's eyes, as her voice broke on the last words of her sentence. "I can't…I can't live without her!"

Klaus continued to snarl at the witch with hardened eyes, however their tones gradually turned from the fierce yellow hue of his hybrid form, to the Original's natural light blue colour. Behind her, Freya could feel the growling wolf throwing itself forcefully against her magical barrier, clearly determined to try and break through whatever it was that was stopping it from achieving its goal.

"Nik, we need to get Hope out of here! She's slowly taking my blood, but I'd prefer it if we had her back at the Compound where we can tend to her properly!"

Klaus's head ever so slightly moved in the direction of Rebekah's voice – the mention of his daughter's name managing to pierce through the red haze that had been governing his vision.

Freya saw the small opportunity and tried to seize hold of the distraction that her sister had managed to have on their brother's ire.

"Please Klaus, go and see to your daughter. I will hold Keelin here until Hayley manages to break the connection between her and the Neivera pack leader."

The hybrid's eye's fell to the ground briefly, before he turned his head around to focus on his daughter's fragile form as she lay cradled in Rebekah's arms.

"She need's her father, Niklaus." Rebekah said, as she continued to hold her bleeding wrist to the young witch's mouth - which was now actively clamped around the open wound, despite the youngsters apparent continued unconscious state.

Flicking his eyes briefly back to Freya, the hybrid quietly growled in her direction, before quickly moving away from the magical barrier that she had hastily constructed. In less than a second, he was pushing Rebekah away from Hope as he gently scooped his daughter into his arms, before disappearing out of the room with the witch in a blur of uncanny speed.

Freya watched on as Rebekah slowly stood up from her knelt position, shaking her wrist slightly as her immortal healing ability did its work.

"You should go too, Sister. Get those other kids out of here, away from danger. God only knows what this has done to scar their young minds."

The blonde vampire briefly looked over the young boy who remained lay on the floor clasping onto his arm wound, and his three other companions who had not moved a muscle the whole time the Mikaelson's had been present in the Funhouse's room. Turning her gaze back to her sister, Rebekah softened her gaze – concern clearly evident in her eyes.

"But what about you, love? What are you going to do?"

Freya sighed heavily, as she quickly wiped away a rogue tear that had managed to escape her right eye with her one free hand.

"I'm going to try and get through to Keelin. She's in there somewhere, I know she is!"

The witch's voice betrayed the words that it spoke, as fear and uncertainty laced its tone in droves.

"If Hayley can't break the connection between her and Hatch from her end, I need to try and help Keelin break it herself."

As if to ridicule the witch's words, the growling wolf rammed into Freya's magical barrier with a somehow greater force than placed into previous attempts. Upon realising it had been unsuccessful once again in freeing itself, it snapped its sharp canines together rapidly, spittle flying freely from its reddened mouth.

Rebekah sighed, and nodded gently to herself.

"Ok love, but please be careful. Don't let your love for her cause you to make any silly rash decisions. Because I swear if you don't make it out of here alive, I will personally hunt you down in the next life and kill you all over again!"

Freya managed a small smile, despite the anguish that currently filled her heart.

"I promise, sister. both myself and Keelin will be back home with you soon."

Nodding her head briefly, Rebekah turned away from her sister and bent down to scoop the injured young boy up into her arms. As she raised back into a standing position with the child securely in place, she walked over to the three remaining children who were still stood huddled together crying, embraced in what looked to be an awkward three-way hug.

"Come on loves, it's time to get out of here. If you're lucky I will buy you each an ice-cream - after the compulsion of course!"

Freya watched on as Rebekah firmly led the small group of youngsters out of the darkened room in which they had been stood – the kids mindlessly following the vampire in an apparent state of shell shocked stupor.

Letting out a breath that she hadn't realised she had been holding, the witch slowly turned around on the spot to face the savage wolf which was now pacing back and forth agitatedly whilst eying Freya's form up and down. The blood from the large wound on its right flank was still dripping freely down onto the floor, as the animal moved from side to side - causing the blonde witch wince with concern as she continued to hold the small barrier spell in place.

"Keelin, please, you need to listen to me! You're injured and slowly bleeding out. I need to get your wound tended to before you lapse into unconsciousness."

The only response she earnt was a deep growl emitting from the injured wolf's throat, as it continued to patrol back and forth just in front of her.

"Honey, I know you are in there somewhere. Fight this – fight whatever spell it is that is allowing the Neivera scum to manipulate your mind!"

She reached out a hand tentatively towards her girlfriend, cautiously keeping it behind the magical blockade in-between them.

At the sight of the witch's arm hesitantly extending towards it, the wolf quickly drew its gums back high over its fang riddled muzzle, and let out a quick succession of sharp barks as it once again resumed throwing itself violently against the invisible barrier with renewed vigour.

Taken by surprise by the sudden advance, Freya stumbled backwards, tripping over her own feet and landing painfully on her coccyx tail bone as she slid slightly along the hardened floor. In that instance the spell which she had been constantly maintaining within her mind faltered, the force separating the witch and the wolf momentarily dissipating from existence.

Sensing the abrupt change in air pressure, the feral animal instantly lunged itself forward, baring its teeth in a wide open mouthed snare intended for the witch's exposed throat. Freya only just had time to register the wolf's advance towards her, before managing to throw her arms up in front of her face, as she quickly shouted out the barrier enchantment once more.

The wolf's snapping jaws came to a halt a few mere centimetres away from the blonde's face, as it collided with the newly erected barrier. Freya looked with shock into the untamed animals blazing yellow eyes that now stood within a breaths distance away from her own - as fear and despair coursed through her rapidly beating heart. As she nervously searched the wolfs features, desperately hoping to see any small slither of her girlfriend present in the creature's cruel expression, Freya quickly came to the realisation that she was fighting a losing battle. One which did not have a happy ending in store for the fate doomed lovers.

i _Please Hayley, end that Bastards life, and soon - because I'm not sure I can do this much longer…_ /i


	21. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20.**

1.

"Constituite diem nexu Tumultus animi….Constituite diem nexu Tumultus animi….Constituite diem nexu Tumultus animi...Constituite diem nexu Tumultus animi…."

The hypnotic rhythm of ritualistic chanting gradually became louder and more distinct, as Hayley cautiously made her way towards the centre of the Neivera camp. The hybrid weaved her way in-between trailer vans of various sizes, holding herself flush against each mobile home before checking to see if the coast was clear so that she could sprint over to the next. Thus far she had yet to encounter, or even spot, another living being present in the large encampment - leading the hybrid to believe that she would find most of the wolves who had not ventured out to the Quarter's carnival, in the same spot as where the loud chanting was emitting from.

A flickering orange glow radiating up into the night sky had steadily been getting brighter as Hayley had been progressing towards the heart of the camp - and now as she sidled up to yet another trailer vans flank, the hybrid could feel a heat emitting from just beyond her concealed position, signifying the presence of a large fire.

The chanting noises had now reached a crescendo just beyond the metal van which she crouched behind, and realisation dawned on the hybrid that there was definitely more than just one or two different voices blending together to create the loud monotone invocation.

Taking a deep breath, Hayley slowly slid herself along to the mobile home's edge, and cautiously craned her head out from the hidden side of the van. She scanned her eyes quickly over the scene unfolding around a large camp fire, before quickly pulling back to be completely concealed once more.

 _Damn!_

The hybrid sighed, closing her eyes and leaning her head back against the cold surface of the metal vehicle, as she ran over in her mind the details of the scene that she had just witnessed.

Just beyond her position was a relatively large clearing, made rectangular in shape by the surrounding trailer vans that bordered its edges. At the centre of the clearing was a large camp fire burning strong, tall in height due to the long wooden boards being used to fuel it. Its flames reached high into the sky, as various embers shot off in different directions - flaring bright for a few seconds before disappearing into nothingness as though they had never existed in the first place. Surrounding the fire, in a circular formation a few metres away from its heated core, were what Hayley assumed to be members of the Neivera pack - all knelt down on their knees. The mixed group of men and women had been swaying slightly from side to side, as they chanted loudly in unison - seemingly in some sort of hypnotic state.

She had quickly counted at least ten chanting wolves present just around the roaring fire.

Hayley had seen one man however who had not been reciting the same cryptic words over and over, like the others around him. He had still been kneeling in front of the fire, however his upper torso had been hunched over with his arms leaning out in front of his body as his hands lay planted on the muddy floor - palms and fingers spread out to full capacity. The wolf's face had been contorted with what had seemed to Hayley to be a mixture of concentration and pain, whilst bright crimson blood had been freely flowing from both his nostrils. The hybrid had not been able to see anything of the man's eyes despite their lids being open, indicating that his irises and pupils had been rolled back into the wolf's skull.

 _That must be Hatch - and judging from his appearance, his connection to Keelin was definitely taking its toll on the Alpha wolf's body_

Opening her eyes once more, Hayley took a deep breath and steeled herself for the confrontation that she now knew was inevitable.

The way the hybrid saw it, there were two options available to her - two possible ways for her to achieve the goal of severing the bond between the Neivera pack leader and Freya's girlfriend Keelin. She could try and sneak past the chanting pack members, hoping that they would remain spellbound in their hypnotic trance long enough for her to reach Hatch and liberate him of his traitorous head. Or she could attempt to dispose of all of the surrounding chanting wolves first, thus giving her a clear path to then kill the pack's alpha unhindered.

Both options would inevitably lead to a lot of bloodshed, but the first would possibly see the link between Hatch and Keelin broken faster than the second - which judging by the urgency she had heard in Freya's voice when they had spoken on the phone, was paramount to preventing her daughter from being harmed.

Nodding her head briefly in steeled determination, the hybrid gently pushed herself away from the trailer van's flank, and began to slowly emerge from its protective cover into the open space beyond. Being careful of where she placed her feet, Hayley attempted to quietly walk by the entranced chanting pack members, her eyes sweeping over each of their forms as she passed them by.

"Constituite diem nexu Tumultus animi….Constituite diem nexu Tumultus animi….Constituite diem nexu Tumultus animi..."

Their rhythmic words continued to bellow out into the evening sky, helping to set the pace at which Hayley placed one foot down after the other. Thankfully the ground upon which she tread was for the most part soft, due to being an eclectic mixture of mud and grass which was kept in a near constant state of pliability due to the Bayou's damp and waterlogged conditions. The hybrid was all too aware however, that even though the lack of audible footsteps coming from her advance was working in her favour, the pre-occupied wolves would soon notice the presence of a new scent within their midst thanks to their enhanced supernatural abilities.

 _She had to move this along, and fast_

After picking up her pace slightly, Hayley came to an abrupt sudden halt a few feet away from the hunched over Alpha pack leader, when a figure that she had not previously been able to see from her position behind the trailer van, came into view. Lying face up and unmoving on the floor a good few metres to the right of group surrounding the hot camp fire, the hybrid could see what looked to be the body of the elder wolf, Mary. From where she stood, Hayley could just make out that her friend's forehead and face were covered in dried blood which had been dripping down onto the ground beneath her before the flow had come to a stop. She was however unable to tell whether the wolf was still breathing or not, being too far away to pick out for definite any movements of the woman's chest.

Anger flared quickly throughout her veins, as the irises of her eyes automatically began to swirl with a mixture of yellow and orange hues. A low growl began to resonate from somewhere deep within her throat, causing the hybrids top lip to curl into a threatening snarl as she turned her attention back from her fallen friend, towards the entranced bleeding pack leader.

Just as Hayley was about to lunge towards Hatch, the loud monotone chanting that had been filling her head since she had arrived at the Neivera camp abruptly ceased. The resulting silence was quickly shattered by a males voice loudly shouting out.

"STOP HER!"

Turning around swiftly, Hayley saw that most of the pack members who had been knelt around the fire were now quickly rising up off the ground, their faces contorted into fierce snarls which clearly showed off the sharp canine teeth housed in their mouths. At least eight pairs of feral yellow eyes were now trained upon her, watching her closely as they slowly advanced towards her.

Hayley twisted back around to face Hatch in a blur of motion, and rapidly extended her own sharp hybrid teeth as she lunged for the pack leaders exposed neck. She reached within a few centimetres of the man's flesh – close enough to hear the blood pulsing through his carotid artery – when her whole body was harshly thrown through the air sideways, causing her to come crashing down onto the muddy ground to the far left of the entranced Hatch.

Shaking her head quickly as she pushed her body up off the ground with her hands, Hailey's hybrid eyes snapped up - looking rapidly from left to right as she tried to locate where the attack come from. She had been thrown by an energy force, not an actual person – that much she knew for definite. Which in turn could mean only one thing.

 _There had to be a witch here somewhere!_

As she watched the growling members of the pack resume their advance towards her new position, the hybrid's eyes fell upon one figure that looked to not be moving in the same direction as the others. He was slowly making his way over to stand beside Hatch -appearing to have emerged from one of the trailer vans that surrounded the camp fire clearing. After seeming to check on the condition of the entranced pack leader, the dark clothed man snapped his head up and locked his eyes onto Hayley.

 _Shit, this just got complicated…._

"Arrrgh!"

Hayley screamed out as her hands instinctively flew up to the sides of her face, in response to an intense pain erupting within her skull. Penetrating levels of pressure began to build up inside of her head, making it hard for the hybrid to concentrate on anything other than the agony ripping through her brain.

Forcing her scrunched eyes open, she could no longer see the witch or Hatch, due to one of the Neivera pack members stepping directly in front of her - looking down upon the hybrid with an amused sneer plastered across his face. When he spoke, Hayley could only just make out the words that he was saying, as they filtered into her head through the dense waves of pain sloshing around in there.

"Did you honestly think that we wouldn't be prepared for unwanted company?!"

He laughed cruelly whilst continuing to stare down at her hunched form.

"Hope WILL die tonight – no one can stop that now!"

Hayley began to feel a white-hot rage rapidly build up within her at the mention of her daughter's name, despite the agony which wrecked through her head. The colour of her eyes bled from brown to amber once more, as she felt her canine teeth descend out of her gums. Concentrating on pushing the pain piercing through her head to the back of her mind, the hybrid slowly forced herself up onto her legs, panting heavily with the effort exerted.

A female pack member to the right of her laughed, as she watched Hayley struggle against the witch's onslaught of pain.

"Oh look, the beaten hybrid dog doesn't know when to stay down!"

A fierce growl emitted from Hayley's throat, as she quickly leant backwards, before throwing up her hands and pushing herself forwards into the sneering male wolf stood in front of her - forcing all of the supernatural strength within her behind the motion. As her hands connected with his chest, the hybrid felt several of the wolf's ribs shatter inwards, before his whole frame was lifted up into the air and sent flying backwards. The man's body only came to a stop when it collided into the figure of the male witch, who instantly collapsed under the weight of the wolf's now lifeless body.

Feeling the pain within her head immediately dissipate, Haley raised herself up tall, and stretched out the muscles of her shoulders and back. As she cracked a bone within her neck, the hybrid locked blazing eyes onto the female wolf who had called her a dog only seconds ago - briefly flashing a vicious razor sharp smile in her direction.

"This bitch never stays down!"

Before the woman had time to register what was happening, Hayley plunged her head forward, sinking her teeth deep into the soft tissue surrounding the wolf's neck. The hybrid wasted no time in ripping her mouth away from her victim, taking half of the woman's throat with her clenched between her jaws. Blood immediately sprayed across Hayley's face and jacket, as the female wolf's eyes widened with shock and pain. Before the woman's body had chance to slump, the hybrid grabbed onto her frame, lifting her up off the ground in one fluid movement and throwing her forcefully towards the pack's leader, Hatch - who remained knelt on the ground in a trance, despite the commotion unfolding around him. The bleeding woman collided directly with her pack leader, knocking his frame over sideways, with both wolves collapsing down onto the damp ground.

Hayley just had time to see Hatch's eyes roll back into their normal position, as he wildly looked up and around from where he lay trapped under the now dead wolf - before her view was quickly obscured by several of the remaining pack members charging towards the hybrid.

Ducking her head slightly, she growled fiercely and triggered her transformation.

2.

Freya was trapped.

If she was honest, she knew that she could efficiently remove herself from the current tight position that she was in - half lying down, and half propped up by one arm as her other continued to hold the angry wolf at bay behind a magical barrier flowing out from hand. But to do so she would need to push her attacker backwards using a considerable force of power - and that would definitely risk further damaging the large open wound already present on Keelin's flank.

 _A risk she was not prepared to take._

They must have only been held in their current position for a minute - two at the most - but it had felt like an eternity to the witch, whose emotions were rapidly reaching a frayed state of tatters. She had for the most part had her eyes scrunched shut from the moment Keelin had knocked her over, her head leaning away from the long muzzle that continuously snapped sharp teeth centimetres from her face. She had not been able to bring herself to remain looking at the raw hate and anger that radiated from the wolf's primal yellow eyes, as it had growled at the invisible barrier, in-between repeatedly ramming its head and shoulders against the obstruction.

When the onslaught of the wolf's attacks briefly halted however, she risked opening her eyes again, turning her head back to look once more at the animal on top of her. It immediately became apparent why the wolf had ceased its relentless attempts to kill the witch - blood was now covering most of the animal's muzzle, flowing freely from several large cuts that ripped into the canines face as it had been throwing itself harshly at the thin blockade separating the two of them. Some of the crimson liquid must have flicked into the wolf's eyes, as it was currently shaking its head back and forth, trying to clear its vision once more.

Freya's heart sank as she took in the sight of her girlfriend's injured animal form. Blood from the wolf's now numerous injuries had managed to cover most of the fur on its body, as well as a good deal of Freya's lower limbs and the floor upon which she lay. The Neivera pack leader currently in control of the wolf clearly didn't give a damn about the state in which he left her girlfriend's body. Freya realised with despair that Hatch would not give up trying to get to her, until the form that he was manipulating was no longer capable of functioning.

 _Until Keelin was dead_

Freya felt the sting of tears begin to form in her eyes, as she continued to watch the wolf prepare itself its next vicious lunge at her. The witch did not know how much more Keelin's body could take of being flung at her enchanted barrier, before permanent irreversible damage was done - and she had no way of knowing if Hayley was close to ending the connection between Hatch and her lover. The witch needed to try and end this, one way or another.

"Keelin…. I don't know if you can hear me, but you need to try and fight this. Your body is not going to hold out much longer."

Her voice was shakier than she had realised it would be - betraying the anguish that currently pulled painfully at her heart.

The wolf lowered its head and growled deeply, as its blood-stained lips drew even higher over its jagged teeth in response to Freya's words.

The tears that had been collecting in Freya's eyes now began to fall in earnest, as she continued to try and reach through to her girlfriend.

"Baby please, don't let him take your life away like this"

As she studied the wolf's features, Freya could have sworn she saw its face distort with a look of spite, as though the animal had not only understood her words, but was ridiculing the emotion behind them. It was at that moment that the witch remembered that not only was Hatch controlling Keelin, but he was of course hearing everything that she was saying too – seeing every tear that was currently falling down her cheeks. The consciousness looking out at her through those feral eyes wasn't that of her girlfriend at all – it was just the Neivera pack leader!

And he was laughing at her pain.

Freya felt a shift in the emotions that had been thundering their way through her body. The anguish and despair that had been consuming her heart only seconds ago, was being pushed out by more primal feelings of hate and loathing, colliding together in a destructive explosion of anger. She thought of every time the cowardly Alpha had forced Keelin to act out against her nature. Of the violence that the bastard had made her kind and loving girlfriend commit. Of the tourists that he had made the peaceful brunette hunt down and murder. Of the intimacy between the two lovers that the sadistic wolf leader had violated and twisted into an attempt to kill the witch.

 _Of the fact that he was now slowly destroying Keelin's body, one fierce blow at a time_

The air in the small Funhouse room quickly began to take on a tangible tension, as static energy started to radiate from the witch's body in great quantities. Her emerald eyes hardened, as she fixed an angry glare on the wolf's now half lidded eyes – a snarl of her own forming on her lips.

"I'm giving you one last chance to get the hell out of my girlfriend's body, you twisted fuck - before I put an end to you and the rest of your pack!"

The bleeding wolf hunched down on its legs, snarling as it prepared to spring towards Freya's face and the barrier surrounding it once more. Spittle mixed with blood dripped down from its exposed teeth, as the fierce growl emitting from its throat intensified.

"Thought as much!"

Freya drew upon the magical energy that was now flowing through her body in violent tidal waves, as she readied an incantation in her mind. She was going to have to be quick with her magics if her newly form plan had any hope of working before the feral wolf managed to tear her apart. For the spell to be successful there could be no obstruction between her and her foe - physical or mystical.

Drawing in a deep breath, the witch let her eyes fall closed, as she purposely dropped the energy barrier between Keelin's animal form and herself, whilst rapidly shouting out an invocation.

"ANIMUS MEUS IN TUIS ANIMO, VISION TUUM QUOD MIA VISION..."

The wolf leaped forward, having sensed the removal of the protective barrier around Freya's body. Its mouth opened wide ready to bite down on the witch's flesh as it closed the small distance between them.

"...ANIMUS MEUS IN TUIS ANIMO, VISION TUUM QUOD MIA VISION"

Freya's eyes widened as she saw the jaws of the wolf begin to clamp down towards her shoulder, before the whole world around her suddenly appeared to abruptly rotate on a nausea inducing axis. The Funhouse room and all of its contents quickly blurred out of sight - total darkness completely descended over her vision.

Silence and complete sensory deprivation engulfed the witch.

 _Did it work? Or is this the bleak emptiness of death?_

Just as she began to fear that her switch of enchantments had not been quick enough, Freya felt her conscious crash land into its intended destination - the resulting astral blow almost shattering away the witch's grip on sanity. Instantly her mind's eye was bombarded with a nexus of different emotions and sensations, chaotically flying into each other at rapid intervals. But despite the unruliness of the tenuous connection, she could feel a distinct division between the types of images and feelings that were bombarding into her projected consciousness. On the one hand there was deep rooted anger and hatred fighting to overcome an increasing sense of lethargy and pain, which Freya deduced must be coming from the part of Hatch's mind that was currently controlling Keelin's wolf form. And on the other hand, a fellowship of growing confusion and uncertainty accompanied blurred images of burning fire and instances of corrugated metal panels.

 _Are those flashes of where the Alpha wolf actually is - the packs camp?_

"GET OUT!"

A distorted male voice boomed all around in her mind, sounding like it had been contorted through strong static radio waves, before reaching her minds ear. Its tones were dripping in white hot rage, but Freya was sure that she could detect a small flicker of fear buried underneath its forced bravado.

"YOU DO NOT BELONG HERE, WITCH!"

Haphazard images continued to rush by the witch, swirling at a sickening pace. A man in dark clothing, walking towards them from a trailer van - blood dripping down into their line of sight, filtering everything with a thick red hue - a person flying through the air and colliding into the dark clothed man stood near them - flames of a fire flickering up into a clear, star filled sky - a blonde haired woman with wide, glazed over emerald eyes frozen in a trance as a muzzled mouth closed down onto her shoulder - complete darkness obscuring out all sight and touch apart from the sensation of fear - a group of people stalking towards a lone female figure who had glowing yellow eyes and sharp canine teeth...

 _Wait...that was it...go back...the dark void...that was where..._

"NO! YOU HAVE NO POWER HERE, BE GONE!"

Freya felt a slither of optimism latch onto the anger and rage that was currently anchoring her own consciousness in the foreign housing. Keelin was still there - present somewhere in the churning mess of chaos that was currently filling the wolf's mind. Somewhere bleak and secluded - and currently being hidden away from the witch's own minds touch.

Summoning up her magical energy, Freya projected her own minds voice into disorder cascading around her.

"Keelin, I know he's got you trapped here somewhere. Follow my voice, force your way out!"

A cruel, heartless laugh erupted all around.

"FOOL! YOU THINK YOUR PATHETIC WOLF IS BEING HELD AGAINST HER WILL?!"

Freya pointedly ignored the male wolf's voice, as she continued her own calling out.

"Keelin, I know you are stronger than this snivelling creep! Come back to me baby, please."

More laughter filling the ever changing void around her - harsher this time, its tone somewhere between a sneering chuckle and the deep growl of an animal.

"KEEP CALLING WITCH, YOU WONT FIND HER! YOUR PRECIOUS LOVERS MIND BROKE THE SECOND I SHOWED HER ALL THE LIVES SHE TOOK AND ALL OF THE INNOCENT BLOOD SHE SHED IN THE BAYOU."

Freya felt a cold drop of horror snake its way through her mind's eye, as she realised how deeply the Alpha's revelation would have affected Keelin – someone who had always feared the violent and destructive side of her own wolf nature.

"That wasn't Keelin's doing, you sick bastard. It was YOU that killed those people! YOU manipulated her body! Keelin, don't listen to this asshole, you've done nothing wrong baby."

Another heartless chuckle flowed around the witch's conscious.

"AND I'VE NOT EVEN SHOWN HER WHAT ATROCITIES SHE HAS COMMITED HERE IN THE FUNHOUSE YET. POOR YOUNG HOPE - SHE TRIED SO HARD TO PROTECT ALL OF HER LITTLE FRIENDS…."

Freya's mind let out a harsh bellow of anger towards the presence of Hatch's consciousness.

"I swear to god I am going to…."

"Hope?"

The shaky voice was so faint amongst all of the churning disorder around her, that Freya had almost missed its presence altogether. Its tone was that of someone who was lost deep in a haze of confusion and fear, just wakening up disorientated from a vivid nightmare. And although the witch had never heard that particular voice sound so dejected and lost before, she would have recognised who it belonged to no matter where they were, or what psychic distortion it was being filtered through.

"Keelin, can you hear…."

She was abruptly cut off by another image flashing by her mind's eye, this one more prominent and clear than the others which had been whirling by in almost a blur – a female body hurtling through the air in their direction, on course to collide directly with them…..

"NOOOO!"  
Hatch's voice rang out loudly, engulfing everything in its anger and drowning out all the other emotions and images that had been bombarding her conscious. A sharp flash of pain cut deep into Freya, causing the witch to panic as she felt her minds grip on its current location being ripped away.

 _Keelin quickly, I'm losing…._

Everything went black.

3.

Elijah looked down at the macabre scene that was splayed out in front of both Marcel and himself, with disgust tugging at his lips as they stood in the entranceway to another of the Old Church's small annex rooms. There were fewer bodies present here, than there had been in the previous display of massacre over-kill upon which they had stumbled, but the viciousness with which these newly discovered deceased had met the end of their lives, appeared to be far greater.

As his eyes scanned slowly over what remained of the bodies in the room, the Original vampire noted how blood covered every inch of the annex's floor and walls, with not a single inch of the buildings original stonework being left untouched by the crimson liquid. Numerous decapitated heads lay idly scattered around the room, like gruesome footballs that had been kicked over a garden fence and left unretreived for fear of repercussion. In-between the ghastly sightless faces lay various amputated limbs and torsos sitting in their own pools of gore as the greying flesh upon them hung loose and patchy - the effects of decomposition having already started to take its hold. An intense smell of rot had hit the two vampires as Marcel had opened the wooden door to the annex, with tones of decaying fruit and musty old cloth coating their nostrils with an unpleasant film.

It wasn't so much the sight of all the blood and body parts that were causing the Original vampire to distort his face in repulsion - god only knew he himself had mercilessly ripped apart the body of many an unfortunate soul during the thousand years he had spent existing as a vampire. He was no stranger to the sight of merciless destruction. But the way in which these bodies had just been left to riot, hidden away in a dank corner of an old church, which mirrored the decaying flesh in its state of crumbling structural deterioration - had caused Elijah to break out into an uncomfortable cold sweat. Old, long ago buried memories dangerously threatened to jump into the forefront of his mind, taunting the fragile sanity to which he desperately tried to cling on to on a daily basis.

Turning his head away from the chilling sight, the Original awkwardly stumbled back through the annex's entranceway, past Marcel, and out into the main chamber of the old religious building. As he reached the base of the tall wooden pulpit that stood in the centre of the dark open space, Elijah steadied himself with an outstretched arm as he drew in a deep laboured breath. The sound of footsteps rapidly approaching behind him caused the vampire to quickly right himself in an upright stance once more, before turning to face the on-coming King of New Orleans.

"Elijah those aren't just the remains of random bodies in that room. I recognise some of the faces on...well, on what remains of the heads."

The Original raised a questioning eyebrow at Marcel - motioning for him to continue, whilst being thankful that his companion had not seemed to have noticed his brief momentary lapse in control.

"Those are - or rather were, the members of Vincent's coven. The witches for whom he was responsible for!"

Elijah's brow furrowed, as he quickly straightened the suit jacket which had been clinging slightly askew on top his starch pressed shirt.

"Vincent's coven? Are you sure of this Marcellus?"

"I'd bet a large chuck of my city on it, yes!"

The younger vampire sighed agitatedly, before commencing to pace back and forth quickly in front of the Original.

"This just doesn't add up Elijah. The man practically worshipped the members of his coven, and would do anything within his power to ensure their safety. Hell, tonight's carnival was supposedly arranged in their honour, to give them a distraction from all of the terror that the Hollow had rained down upon city a few weeks ago!"

Marcel continued to walk erratically back and forth as he spoke.

"But the remains of those bodies in that room, they have been there for a while - at least a week or two. They are not fresh like some of the dead wolves in the other room. Vincent has to have known about their deaths Elijah - he's been in and out of this church every day! So why hasn't he mentioned it? Why put up the facade that the Mardi Gras was for people that he already knew were de..."

The vampire came to a sudden halt, as he turned to face Elijah face-on with what seemed to be a look of realisation breaking in his widening eyes.

"Shit of course, how can we have not have realised it earlier!"

"Realised what Marcellus? Where are you going with this?"

"The Hollow didn't just disappear on the night that Vincent and Freya's spell didn't go to plan. Dammit, even you Elijah, said that he had seemed dazed and confused immediately after the event, and then left abruptly with no explanation!"

The Original broke eye contact with Marcel as understanding began to crawl through his mind, his line of sight coming to focus on the ajar door which led to the room full of blood and rotting body parts.

"But we've interacted with him Marcellus - held talks with him. Surely we would have noticed?"

"Come now Elijah, you speak as though you and the rest of your tiresome family are something other than completely self-indulged, egotistical, megalomaniacs!"

Both Marcel and Elijah's bodies quickly twisted round in response to the new voice that had filled the church's chancel. They were met with the sight of Vincent slowly walking towards them, seemingly coming from a small open outdoor tucked away at the back of the old, decaying building. The ex-regent witch had his arms held out wide as he moved, gesturing towards the two immortals with a smirk pulled across his lips.

"When we all know that the Mikaelson's are far too wrapped up in their own pitiful lives to perceive the troubles of others."

Elijah watched the witch with growing wariness as he heard a low guttural noise emit from Marcel's throat in response to the man's advance towards them.

"Such a pleasure as always to hear your kind words about my family, Vincent...or should I address you by your more nefarious title, Hollow?!"

The tall man came to a stop a few meters ahead of the two vampires - the snide smirk disappearing from his face as his gaze locked onto the vampires own. Elijah watched as the deep brown irises of the witch's eyes quickly changed colour, turning into a bright glowing cobalt blue, which lightly illuminated the immediate area surrounding the face in which they were set.

A hard, steeled expression set upon Vincent's features, as his shimmering eyes bored deep into the Original.

"The pleasure is most definitely mine, Elijah!"

4.

As she felt the last bone crack and shift back into its human position, Hayley slowly raised herself up off the muddy ground - her eyes still closed as she stretched out her tight neck and back muscles.

Once of the first things that the hybrid always immediately noticed upon shifting from her wolf form back into her regular body, was just how cold the world's touch suddenly was upon her naked skin - compared to the complete warmth of being covered head to toe in fur.

That plus the acute awareness that the transformation always left her inconveniently stark naked!

Opening her now returned soft hazel coloured eyes, Hayley quickly threw her gaze across the whole of the clearing at the centre of the Neivera's trailer park. Felled bodies littered the damp ground surrounding the camp fire, which was still burning bright up into the night's sky. Some of the corpses still had all of their limbs attached, albeit with large chunks of flesh in the shape of bite marks, now missing - whilst others had not fared so luckily. A distinct smell of coppery gore floated through the air, as the noise of crackling and spitting wood burning in the heart of the large fire was the only sound to break the otherwise peaceful camp.

Satisfied that there was no further immediate threat to her life, Hayley let out a deep breath as she caught sight of the clothes that she had been wearing before transforming into her wolf form. The garments had fallen on the sport where she had morphed her physical shape, and from what the hybrid could tell from her initial glance, they seemed to have thankfully escaped being tainted by the extensive volumes of blood that had been spraying around the area only a few minutes ago.

As she quickly pulled up her tight black jeans, and deftly re-hooked a red colour bra around her chest, Hayley scanned her eyes around the clearing, looking for Mary's unconscious form. She could have sworn the wolf elder's body had been lay over to the far right of the open space between the trailer vans, however there was now only a small pool of blood where her friend previous was.

The hybrid was about to make her way over to the area, when a short burst of coughing punctuating the air suddenly commanded her attention. Turning her head to the left, Hayley could see movement on the ground just across the camp fire to where she stood, as someone appeared to be trying to push off a dead body which was sprawled heavily on top of them. Sighing, the hybrid began to make her way around the large flames which licked the cool evening air, as her eyes remained trained on the moving bodies.

As she came to a stop a few meters away, Hayley watched Hatch free his remaining foot from under the blood soaked body of the female wolf that she had thrown at the pack leader earlier, just before transforming. The Alpha shook himself off as he rose up off the ground, and Hayley see that the man had sustained a large gash to the forehead and a split lip from the collision with his pack member. As he stood and put weight onto the lower half of his body, the hybrid noticed that the wolf seemed to be favouring his right side - indicating that he had probably sustained some damaged somewhere on his leg as well.

"That's far enough jack-ass!"

Hatch looked up at her, as he stumbled and lost footing on his injured right leg - dropping down heavily onto one knee. Had they not been surrounded by multiple dead wolves whom she had just viciously ripped apart as they tried to kill her, she thought that the Alpha looked as though he could be about to propose to her.

"Ah, and I presume that you must be Hayley, the traitor wolf queen who colludes with our kinds mortal enemies!"

Hayley let out a short, sharp laugh as she placed her hands on her hips.

"I think you need to take a long hard look in the mirror, before you go slinging around words like Traitor!"

The male wolf chuffed to himself and nodded his head, seeming to agree with her statement.

"Yes, it is true that I made a pact with a demon - and I cannot deny how terrible that may look to people from outside of our family. But I only made my deal with the devil to save my pack from being wiped off the face of this earth, like so many of the other pack-lines before us."

The wolf leader paused, eyeing Hayley up and down with a twitch of distaste pulling at his lips.

"Tell me hybrid scum, what excuse do you have for abandoning YOUR people, and making your bed with the malicious and vile Mikaelson clan?!"

Ignoring his question, Hayley responded back with one of her own.

"And does your deal with the devil allow you to sleep at night, knowing that you were required to kill an innocent little girl, who has never harmed a single living being since the day she was born?"

The hybrids voice had hitched up a tone and increased in volume as her sentence finished - the thought of her daughter's life once again being in danger causing the fury within her began to boil over once more.

Hatch shrugged lightly, and dropped his gaze down to the floor.

"She is to be unfortunate collateral damage. Though to be fair, better she be dead than be raised to be a monster by the moraless Mikaelson family! I'd say we are doing the little one a solid favour. And judging by how powerful the girl already is, and how easily she wielded her magic just now - she is far too dangerous to be allowed to mature into adulthood!"

Hayley moved quicker than Hatch's eyes could register, taking the pack leader by surprise as she hoisted him up off his feet by his jacket, and slammed his back into the metal panel of the nearest trailer. A moan of pain left the wolf's lips, as the back of his head collided with the van.

Hayley's eyes began to swirl with her hybrid yellow tones, as she spat her words out into the Alpha's face.

"If you have lay even one finger on my daughter…."

She trailed off as the man she held up against the trailer van began to laugh, despite the blood which was now flowing freely from the gash on his forehead, which had been torn back open from the collision with the trailer.

"Oh my hands haven't gone anywhere near your daughter! I can't say the same for the claws of your wolf friend though!"

Hayley's fiercely glowing yellow eyes widened with fear for her daughter, as she watched Hatch close his own and smile sickeningly to himself.

"Her young flesh tore so easily under the weight of Keelin's paws - i hardly had to make her apply any force whatsoever!"

A loud guttural growl forced its way out of Hayley's throat, as she felt an unabated, white hot rage rise up within her - covering her vision with a red haze and causing her arms to shake with fury as she continued to hold the wolf in place. Canine teeth rapidly extended out of the hybrid's gums, as she drew her head back and widened her jaw, ready to alleviate the Alpha's head from his neck.

As her mouth descended down towards the man's throat, Hayley just had time to register a flash of movement in her peripheral vision, before a hard blow of pain crashed into the side of her head, throwing her body backwards as her hands involuntarily let go of the Alpha wolf's frame. Further pain ripped through her head as its back collided harshly with the ground - her body landing roughly a few feet away from Hatch.

She tried to rub the blurred vision away from her eyes with a hand, as she slightly raised herself up off ground with her other free arm, causing the throbbing in her head to intensify from the effort.

As the clarity of the information feeding into her eyes slowly began to sharpen once more, Hayley saw a tall muscular man walking in her direction – a long, blood-stained metal pipe held tightly within his hands. As the newcomer came to a standstill next to where her bare feet lay in the dirt, with his arms holding out his weapon towards her, the hybrid had just one thought running on repeat through her worry sickened mind

 _Hope….my baby girl, please still be alive_


	22. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21**

 **1.**

Hayley scrambled to push herself backwards along the dirt floor, using the palms of her hands and exposed heels of her bare feet to try and gain traction on the moist ground. Her mind was still swimming with pain and confusion following the severe blow to the head she had sustained from the metal pole. The same pole that was currently being slapped repeatedly into an open hand, as the overbearing male wolf continued to stalk slowly towards her. He had managed to get a pretty good blow in, drawing blood from what Hayley assumed to now be a large open wound along the side of her left temple, and causing the world around her breakout into a dizzying dance of confusion. The only coherent thought that kept managing to make it through the thick fog of bewilderment swirling in her head, was a deep routed fear for her daughter's safety.

Hatch's sneered comment on how Keelin's claws had dug deep into the soft flesh of her daughter was playing over and over again in the hybrid's muddled mind on a sickening loop, and consequently Hayley was having a hard time keeping the resulting fear for Hope's life at bay long enough for her to figure a way out of her own life threatening situation. Had the pack leader simply said those words just to rile her and throw her concentration off - or was he speaking the truth, and her daughter had actually been attacked by Freya's girlfriend?

i _Surely she would have felt it somehow had Hope not survived the attack?!_ /i

"We're not bad people you know!"

Hayley looked up at the bulky male wolf who had come to a stop a few feet ahead of her, with the metal pipe grasped firmly in both of his hands as he looked down upon her.

"Your people are trying to kill an innocent 8 year old child. That makes you the scum of the earth in my books!"

She winced as the effort of speaking caused a surge of increased pain to run ravage through her head.

i _He had caught her good with that damn pipe!_ /i

She watched as the male wolf's eyes squinted slightly, appearing to wince in response to her harsh words, as what seemed to be a look of faint remorse flashed across his hardened face.

"The young girl's sacrifice is unfortunate - and I wish there was another way for us to end this horrendous mess. But our hands are tied!"

Sensing that the wolf surprisingly had a capacity for compassion somewhere within him, as opposed to the sadistic waves of indifference that had been rolling off the pack leader - Hayley attempted to soften her look as she struggled to get to her feet.

"Whatever deal it is that you have made with the Hollow, I can guarantee it will end in sorrow for your pack. That spirit is pure evil, and once she feels you have served your purpose, she will kill each and every one of you."

The male wolf lowered his head slightly as he took in the Hybrid's words, even though his grip on the bloodied metal bar seemed to increase, as white skin stretched across his knuckles in response to the amplified tension.

"Please, I'm begging you - help me save my daughter, and in turn I will help you and your pack be free of the Hollow's tyranny."

The well-built wolf shook his head gently from side to side, as Hayley watch tears begin to shimmer in his cowed eyes.

"I'm afraid it's too late for your pleas - the Hollow is holding many of our kin hostage as we speak. If we do not comply with her wishes, our family members will lose their lives. We all will."

Hayley's eyes closed as the gravity of the information struck home with her. When her voice came out once more, it was strained with fear and despair, both for her own daughter, and the lives of the wolves that she knew would already have been ended.

"Your family members will already be lost."

The hybrid watched as a range of emotions flickered across the male wolf's face – panic, fear, anguish, and eventually anger settling within the man's features. She had hoped that the realisation of the Hollow's treachery would cause the wolf to back down from his advance upon her, but it seemed to be having the opposite effect instead, as eyes that were beginning to swirl with yellow and amber tones locked onto her own.

She attempted one last plea to reach through to the threatening man, who was once again moving towards her with the metal pipe extended out. The vibrations of her own voice ringing through her head caused the throbbing pain in her left temple to intensify and her vision to blur once more.

"You don't have to do this – WE don't have to do this! This is just what the evil bitch wants! Don't let her destroy everything that you have left!"

The male wolf shook his head harshly from side to side, as his burning eyes continued to bore into Hayley's own.

"It is too late for us, and it is too late for you. Our fates have already been decided for us!"

The wolf raised the metal pole with both hands up above his head - snarling as he readied it to be brought crashing down onto Hayley once again. Just as she prepared to leap out of the way from the impending blow, she saw the expression on the male wolf's face suddenly change from one of determined anger, to that of surprise and shock.

His eyes widened as dark pupils fully dilated, and his mouth dropped open in what looked to be a silent scream as his body abruptly crumpled down to the ground face first, in front of Hayley. Her gaze followed his descent to the muddy floor - one eyebrow cocking up in curiosity as she saw what looked to be a snapped, thick wooden tree branch protruding out of the wolfs back. She noted that the crude weapon must have pierced the man's heart, as hardly any blood was forming around the wound made by the branch.

"Wrong, Asshole! A wolf's fate is only ever in their own hands!"

Hayley's eye's immediately flicked up in response to the sudden appearance of the familiar female voice. They landed on the elder Mary, who was stood looking down at the dead male wolf with a triumphant smirk playing across her lips.

The hybrid broke into a relieved smile as she quickly took in the weary appearance of her friend. Dried blood was beginning to congeal around a large head wound near her right temple, as mud and foliage clung onto her clothes at various intervals. The wolf's face was drawn and haggard, despite the grimaced smile that currently resided there - indicating to Hayley that the evening's antics had more than taken their toll on the older woman.

"Mary, you're alive!"

Hayley hurried forward as fast as her pounding head would allow, and engulfed her friend in a tight embrace. She felt a slight reprieve of relief as the worry that had built up inside of her for the wolf elder, bled out of her aching body.

After a few fleeting moments of shared comfort, the two pulled away from each other.

"Are you ok?" Hayley asked. "You looked to be out cold when I first got here."

The wolf elder huffed a weary laugh as she looked up at the hybrid, her bloodshot eyes deceiving the level of fatigue that had a tight grip on her aging body.

"Aye kid, I'll survive. No thanks to this sorry excuse for a wolf pack!"

Hayley's eyes widened suddenly.

"Hatch! I need to….."

"Oh I wouldn't worry too much about him, darlin!"

Mary shuffled her body slightly to the left, so that she was no longer blocking Hayley's direct line of vision. The hybrid's eyes re-adjusted their long distance focus and came to rest on the crumpled form of the Neivera pack's leader, who was slumped on the dirt floor with his back leaning against the blood-stained corrugated van behind him. For all intents and purposes, the Alpha could have been mistaken as being asleep – his hands lay facing up and relaxed in his lap, as his legs sprawled out in front of his body.

It was just the small matter of a head no longer being attached to the wolf's shoulders - that gave away his very "dead" predicament.

Hayley's eyebrows raised up in surprise, as her lips parted slightly to allow her to take in a quick sharp breath. She slowly moved her eyes over the floor in the vicinity of the deceased pack leader, bringing them to a stop as they fell upon Hatch's decapitated head. It looked to have rolled a good few meters away from its former perch, leaving a crimson trail of gore covered leaves and stones in its wake.

Mary's own gaze drifted over to the macabre scene, as she raised the corner of her mouth in a disapproving sneer.

"There is no lower form of scum than someone who is cowardly enough to sacrifice his own family, just to try and save his own neck!"

Hayley looked solemnly over to her friend, as she shook her head in admiration.

"You are one fearsome lady, Mary! Remind me never to get on your wrong side!"

The elder's laugh was cut short as she saw the expression on Hayley's face quickly change from one of awe, to that of an extremely concerned mother, as the hybrid began to fish in her back pocket for her phone.

"Hatch said that Hope had been attacked…..oh god, Mary, if anything has happened to her…."

Mary watched on quietly as the concerned mother first tried calling Klaus, and then Freya, when she received no response from her daughter's father. Hayley's frustrations only grew in intensity when the eldest of the Mikaelson siblings also did not answer her phone - the ringing tone only sounding out once, before the connection tripped over to the witch's answering service. Mary placed what she hoped to be a calming hand on the hybrid's shoulder, as she watched her frantically tapping at her phone, bringing up Rebekah's contact details.

"I'm sure the little darling is ok, Hayley. As much as I can't tolerate your extended family, I do know that they would never let any harm come to your little ray of sunshine!"

Hayley's eyes locked onto Mary's as they began to swell with tears - the ringing phone pressed up hard against her right ear, as she willed Rebekah to pick up at the other end.

"Come ooooon, please pick up, please pick up…"

 _i "Hello?" /i_

"Rebekah! Oh thank god! Please tell me Hope is with you and ok…."

 _i "Calm down Hayley, Hope is going to be fine!" /i_

Her daughter's aunts choice of words were not lost on the panicking hybrid.

"Going to be? What do you mean going to be? Rebekah, tell me what's happened!"

There was a small pause on the other end of the line, as Hayley waited impatiently for the Original vampire to answer her.

i _"It's probably best you get home as soon as you can, love. The little cherub is most definitely going to want her mother when she fully wakes up."_ /i

Hayley had started running through the Neivera encampment before the blonde vampire's last words had even left her mouth - the powerful need to be by her daughter's side over-riding any other thought in her mind.

 **2.**

"ARRRRGHHHHHH…"

"Oh come now gentlemen, I've hardly even begun to rain down the full extent of my abilities upon you. Yet there you both are, screaming out like little pathetic children!"

Elijah's mind hollered out in agony, as his body arched backwards in response to the latest wave of pain being unleashed by the Hollow. Every muscle in the Original's body tensed within an inch of breaking capacity, as what felt like sharp electrical energy burned its way through his veins. He barely registered Marcel's body reacting in a similar manner, as the King of New Orleans screamed out his own agony a few steps to the right of Elijah.

As the intensity of the pain began to wane, the Original dropped down to one knee – his leg muscles failing him and betraying his usually impeccably formal stance. Out of the corner of his bloodshot eyes, Elijah saw Marcel had managed to remain upright, but had doubled over from the waist, his hands resting against his knees as he drew in heavy, laboured breaths.

Both vampires' attention was once again commanded by Vincent's occupied body, as the powerful spirit within let out a cruel and sadistic laugh into the surrounding church.

"Look at you both! Two of the most powerful Vampires to walk this earth, feared by many - and yet here you are, cowering under the power of my wrath."

The spirit gestured to the body it inhabited, as it continued to laugh as it spoke.

"And I'm not even at full strength! How pathetic your kind truly is!"

Elijah forced his waning strength down into legs, as he managed to push himself upright once more – straightening out his ruffled suit jacket as he cleared his throat.

"What exactly do you hope to achieve from torturing us, Spirit!?"

"Oh my dear Elijah, my goal isn't torture. I am going to kill you. You and the rest of your pathetic family!"

The Original vampire heard a low, deep growl emitting from the throat of Marcel, who had managed to right himself back into a standing position. A quick flick of his eyes to the right, allowed Elijah to see that the younger vampire's eyes had completely bled into their blood lusting form, and his lips had drawn back revealing a fang laced snarl.

"Now now, Marcellus. Your pathetic attempt to threaten me is as pathetic as it is ineffective. And I would advise against angering me further. I can either make your death quick and painless, or I can draw it out over days as I introduce you to new levels of agony that you never even dreamed possible."

Elijah felt his own anger building within, as his vision began to cloud over with a slight crimson haze.

"Spirit if you harm any of my family, I will….."

"You will what, hmmm Elijah? Bore me to death with your empty threats? Your family is destined to die at my hands, and it has already begun. By now your precious little niece will have be torn apart by your own family's pet dog, and…."

"You WILL NOT lay one finger on her!" Elijah's sudden outburst of words echoed out and bounced into the crumbling walls of the church, as both he and Marcel moved to leap towards Vincent's body in unison.

The spirit laughed, as it quickly flicked up a hand in a nonchalant manner, bringing both advancing vampires to an immediate halt before they had managed to close the distance to its host's body. The snarling men hung suspended in the air, an invisible force preventing them from being able to control any part of their bodies, other than their faces.

"You are both beginning to bore me with this insistent insolence! Now, as I was saying before you rudely interrupted…. your family's demise has already begun my dear Elijah, and my own wolfen disciples will now be moving onto the rest of your….."

"Wrong asshole!"

Elijah's eyes widened as he saw a slightly framed young woman suddenly leap up behind the Hollow's host body. Before the spirit had time to turn its head in reaction to the new-comers presence, the Original vampire watched as the girl's eyes rapidly bled from blue to a burning amber, as she sank extended canine teeth deep into the Spirit's neck. Hands quickly clamped onto either side of the Hollow's shocked face, as the newcomer wrenched her tight hold sideways whilst simultaneously biting further into sinuous muscle and bone.

Blood sprayed out and covered both Elijah and Marcel's faces, as the invisible force which had been holding them in place quickly disappeared – causing both vampires to fall back down onto their own feet.

Elijah quickly looked ahead again, after righting himself from the fall. His wild gaze fell upon the young woman, whose own eyes had now returned back to their original bright blue colour as she stood over the crumpled body of Vincent Griffith – his severed head held firmly in the grip of her blood covered left hand.

"I will never be your, or anyone else's puppet ever again!"

 **3.**

The first thing that hit her was the smell.

The harsh tang of copper clawed its way into her nostrils, hungrily filling her with its sharp promise of tragedy and heartbreak, as it sought to saturate every cell within her body with its scent of death. Underneath the metallic doomsayer crawled a musky layer of sweat, making her nose twitch slightly as sour tendrils teased the small hairs lining its small damp corridors. And lastly, timidly hiding beneath the two stronger warriors of aroma waging battle on her senses, was the salty perfume of saline – her weary but experienced instincts associating it with the falling of fresh human tears.

Next came the pain.

Even before she had regained enough awareness of self to attempt to move or flex the smallest of muscles, her body loudly shouted out in fierce anger with its extensive list of grievances. Biting, white hot pain shot out from somewhere along her left side, rushing up her nerve endings with unyielding speed, and accumulating in her mind with a garish yell of presence. Numerous areas on her face screeched out in rage – each individual irritation joining together in unison to form one large blanket of hurt that wrapped itself around the front of her head in a suffocating manner. The muscles lining her shoulders and arms ached with an intensity that she had never before experienced, bellowing with anger and indignity at the memory of what they had been forced to endure before shifting their position into human form once more.

Then arrived the cold.

The few areas of her soft human flesh that were not burning with the throb of injury, tensed harshly in response to the prickly chill present in the air, as it engulfed her in a swathe of cold. She became acutely aware that her body was naked, completely absent of any clothing and vulnerable to whatever lay beyond the false safety of her closed eyes.

But in the end, it was a small, weak voice calling out from somewhere close by, that forced her human mind to fully click back into the solid clutch of reality.

"Keelin…."

Consciously trying, but failing, to calm her pain induced erratic breathing, she slowly prised open her brown eyes to the outside world, and was met with a blurred mosaic of dark shapes - too close for her vision to focus upon properly. The realisation of being lay on a cold hard floor washed over her, as her inner balance centre registered the horizontal position of her body.

Tentatively, and with a grimace of pain forming upon her dried cracking lips, she slowly raised a shaking hand up to her eyes and gently rubbed them in an attempt to clear her vision. A new, softer scent drew up into her mind, as she endeavoured to push her body upwards with a weakened and aching arm. Unlike the other aromas that were still persistently assaulting her, this fragrance was welcome and familiar, soothing her agitation slightly as she registered who it belonged to.

"Freya?"

The gravely sound that had left her mouth felt unfamiliar - its tones cracked and raw as it came out only just above that of a forced whisper.

There was no response.

Pain renewed its attack on the nerve endings throughout her body as she rubbed her eyes once more, turning her head slowly to try and take in her unfamiliar surroundings.

She was inside a building - that much became quickly clear as her eyes registered the four smooth walls that enclosed the dark space around her. There was an opening at the centre of the wall directly behind her, which had splintered wooden beams partially surrounding it – indicating that a door had once been housed across the space. Her eyes drifted to the floor in front of the opening, and registered the shattered wooden remains of the door in question, which had clearly been ripped from its hinges with quite some force.

i _Fur and muscle pounding itself relentlessly against a wooden barrier, as blind rage consumed the wolf, its need to reach the beings on the other-side all-consuming and absolute_./i

Her attention was caught by the sudden interruption of the dark silence again, as what sounded like a strained, weak cough erupted into the room.

She turned her head a little too quickly in the direction from which the sound originated, causing her eyes to blur once again as a fresh wave of pain rampaged its way throughout her body. A small cry unwillingly left her lips, as the sharp intensity of the many wounds spoiling her body made their presence known once again.

"K….Keelin….are you…"

The familiar voice, so low and strained in volume that she almost couldn't make out the individual words it spoke, was cut off by a sickening wet gurgling noise replacing it.

 _i Anger and fury colliding in a destructive narrative as the wolf flung its damaged body against an invisible barrier, time and time again - refusing to give up on its mission of death /i_

As she concentrated on trying to ignore the pain and focus her vision, the dark shape that was positioned on the floor just ahead of her began to take on a more solid form – fixing into that of a slender female body, lay unmoving on the cold ground. Her nose registered the pool of blood that was slowly growing in size underneath the woman's right shoulder, a few seconds before her eyes did – the distinctive scent markers within the life-fluid immediately recognisable to her, causing fresh alarm bells to sound off loudly in her confused mind.

Freya's blood.

Her vision rapidly cleared to pin-point accuracy as both realisation and fear thundered through her mind like a class five hurricane of emotion. The Mikaelson witch lay on the floor in front of her, heavily bleeding out from a large wound between her neck and her right shoulder – the flesh surrounding the injury torn and ragged, as thought it had been ripped apart by large sharp teeth. Canine teeth.

 _i The infuriating barrier dissipating away, leaving nothing but air between the wolf's burning hatred and the scheming Witch. Cruel delight flaring through its veins as it imagined her flesh tearing easily within its hungry mouth. Tired leg muscles tensing with the last bit of strength left within them, as it lunged forward with fierce anger burning through its blood coated eyes/i_

Wide and worried brown eyes fell upon bloodshot and unfocused green ones, as she registered the sickly grey pallor of her girlfriend's face – triggering her human voice to be found once more.

"Oh my god, Freya!"

Keelin saw the witch trying to focus heavy lidded eyes upon her, in response to the frightened words that had erupted out of the wolf's damaged throat. Freya's lips moved slightly, seemingly trying to form words that did not have the strength to push past the thickening blood that was gathering within the blonde's mouth.

She quickly tried to push herself up into a kneeling position, intent on reaching her injured girlfriend to try and stop the flow of blood rapidly leaving the witch's body – but was instantly met with a whole new level of agony tearing its way through the long open wound along her left side ribs, causing her to collapse back down onto the hard floor. A wave of exhaustion blanketed itself over her whole body, as Keelin felt the alluring pull of unconsciousness reaching for her with its eerie, cold tendrils.

"No!"

The wolf shouted out into the room - her frustration and determination pushing back at the false promises of oblivion, and forcing the beckoning blackness into temporary submission under the weight of her conviction. Pressing her lips into a tight thin line of resolve, Keelin pushed down with both of her hands - raising her upper body up slightly off the blood stained ground. Slowly, one resolute movement at a time, the wolf swallowed down on the nausea building at the back of her throat and used her arms to drag her injured body over to her girlfriend's form - pulling around so that she was positioned close to Freya's head and bleeding wound.

Keelin felt a fresh wave of panic wash over her as she took in the pale features of Freya's face - a thin layer of sweat giving the witch's forehead and cheeks an unhealthy sheen in the dimly lit room. The blonde's eyes had now fallen completely shut, with the rest of her face slackening into the tell-telling sign of unconsciousness. Freya had clearly lost a lot of blood, and Keelin felt her heart sink heavily in her chest as she realised that her lover was probably only a few minutes away from bleeding to death.

Gently, whilst trying not to cause the witch any further discomfort, Keelin slightly raised and then cradled her girlfriend's head in her arms, as she attempted to bring the blonde round into a more alert state.

"Freya….honey, can you hear me?"

The witch's eyelids flickered slowly in response to Keelin's raspy voice that was now coming from just above her own head, gradually prising them open to reveal bloodshot eyes that sluggishly roamed upwards in search of her girlfriends face.

"That's it baby - I need you to try and stay awake with me, ok?"

Tears began blur Keelin's vision as she reluctantly looked away from Freya's glassy eyes - quickly running her gaze over the room around her to try and locate something suitable for use as a compress. She desperately needed to try and stop the flow of blood which was currently pouring out of the large bite wound, if she had any hope of trying to move Freya. It rapidly became apparent however that there was nothing else in the murky room, other than herself and the witch.

Looking back down at her girlfriend's blood covered form, Keelin eyed up the long sleeved, cotton top which lay beneath the witch's tattered leather jacket. It certainly wouldn't be ideal - but if she could tear off enough material from the one side of the garment that was still intact, then she might be able to form some sort of barrier against the blood spurting out of Freya's wound.

"Kee…Keelin…."

The wolf's eyes quickly locked back onto Freya's, as the witch began to cough roughly from the effort of trying to speak. Fresh blood droplets spattered outwards from the blondes mouth, as her eyes scrunched together tightly in an indication of the extra pain that the convulsions were causing.

"Baby shhh – try to save your energy. I'm here with you ok. I'm not going anywhere."

Keelin began to carefully manoeuvre Freya's left arm out of the leather jacket that she was wearing, as the witch's head remained cradled in her lap. She was initially worried of causing her lover more pain than she must have already been in, but as she worked it became apparent that the large amount of blood lost from the witch's body was slowly robbing her of any sensation of touch.

"Y….you're ok? H…Hatch….he…."

 _i A powerful wave of satisfaction as the wolf clamped down sharp teeth into the witch's flesh, tasting the rush of metallic blood that spurted into its eager mouth. Clamping down harder with aching jaws as a scream peeled out of the blondes mouth, reverberating through the tiring wolf's body as it began to slowly sag against the humans chest.… /i_

Keelin shook her head lightly, as she desperately tried to bring her focus back into the moment. In the depths of her whirling mind, she knew there were still many missing pieces to be placed together. There was guilt to be felt, and blame to be placed – most of which she feared would land on her own shoulders to bear.

But all of that had to wait, because Freya was dying - and Keelin couldn't bring herself to think of a world without the witch in it.

She refused to.

Tears that had been welling up in brown eyes now began to flow freely down her face, as the wolf proceeded to tear apart the cotton top in which her girlfriend was clothed. Being careful not to disturb the parts of the fabric that were matted along the edges of the open wound, Keelin gathered up what remained of the garment and shaped it into a large circular mound.

Cradling her lovers face, the wolf stroked her thumb gently across Freya's cheek, slowly gaining the witches unfocused attention once more. Keelin tried to swallow down the terror that was threatening to overcome her medical training, as she spoke to the witch through a weak smile.

"Honey, I need to try and stop you from losing any more blood. I'm going to press down on your wound – and I'm sorry it's going to hurt. But please try and stay with me ok - stay focused on my face."

Not waiting for a response, the wolf positioned the cotton rag on top of Freya's gaping wound and pressed down as hard as her weakened muscles would allow. A deep, uncomfortable moan vibrated up through the witch's throat as a strong convulsion caused her spine to arch upwards off the floor – before her body fell back down and went limp.

Keelin's eyes widened with worry as she watched her lover begin to slip back into unconsciousness.

"Freya, stay with me honey…..Freya?"

There was no response from the witch, who lay limp against Keelin as she continued to press down over the bleeding wolf bite. She quickly reached out a shaking had and grabbed at her girlfriend's wrist, searching for a sign that the blonde was still hanging onto this world despite her lifeless appearance.

Feeling a very weak, but present pulse, Keelin slowly let out a breath that she didn't know she had been holding.

She quickly trailed her free hand from the Freya's wrist and pushed under the witch's thighs, feeling her way over to the bloodied jeans back pockets, where she knew the blonde often stashed her phone. After finding nothing but fluff in the first compartment that she reached, her hand quickly moved over to the next and a faint smile formed on the wolf's face as her fingers closed around a familiar shaped object.

Pulling the mobile device out from under her girlfriend, Keelin's brief respite of relief was quickly dashed as she registered the shattered layer of glass covering the blank and unresponsive phone. After pressing all of the buttons along the side of the device, three times over, gained no response from the damaged smartphone, Keelin felt a wave of frustration and panic grip her in its cold, vice like hold.

Letting out an aggravated cry into the dark room, the wolf violently threw Freya's phone against the nearest wall.

 _i Jaws unclenching and pulling flesh away from the felled witch, her blood dripping out of the wolf's mouth and onto the ground beneath it. A mixed feeling of satisfaction and frustration running through its mind – it hadn't managed to kill the youngest of the family, but the bite it had just given the eldest witch was deep and fatal. At least one Mikaelson would die that night. Maybe that would be enough to placate the powerful Spirit…. /i_

"Arrrgh!"

Her cry of frustration echoed around the room as she violently shook falling tears from her face. Looking down at the fabric compress, Keelin saw that it had become completely saturated with blood during the short time it had taken her to find, and then throw the broken mobile device – rendering it useless for purpose. Shaking fingers struggled to locate Freya's pulse again, as the wolf grasped at her lover's wrist.

"No….no…. baby…... Please, don't leave me."

The wolf's words came out in the form of a sob, as Keelin felt despair starting to take over her. Leaning down and over the witch, Keelin's forehead came to rest gently against Freya's, as the brunette's tears fell down onto her lover's pale cheeks.

Her words were broken and full of emotion, as she continued to plead with the witch.

"You're stronger than this Freya, I know you are! You haven't lived over a thousand years just to give up now. Please….please stay with me. I love you…I need you baby."

Keelin barely registered the rush of air that pushed a cold front against her naked flesh, and wildly ruffled the curled hair framing her face as it lay pressed against her girlfriend's own.

"She needs you too, love. So if you wouldn't mind moving a little so that I can…."

Keelin's head flew up in response to the sudden appearance of the smooth, English accented voice.

"Rebekah! Oh thank god…."

As the blonde vampire began to crouch down beside the two lovers whilst being careful not to allow any blood to touch her designer jeans, she grimaced at the angry sight of her sister's wound. Biting into her own wrist, she quickly lowered it over Freya's parted lips, flicking her eyes up to Keelin as she allowed her blood to drip down into the witch's mouth.

"Oh I wouldn't be thanking him, love. I came to realise a long time ago that he…she….whatever, doesn't give a damn about our family"

The Original smiled lightly as she felt Freya's mouth slowly work its way around her bleeding wrist, clamping down around the wound to eagerly suck down her healing gift.

"We look after each other instead. Always and Forever."


	23. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22.**

 **1.**

"Ha, you're too slow to catch me, Johnny!"

Freya watched with a smile, as her niece shouted out in glee over her shoulder whilst dodging one of her new friend's out stretched hand. The young witch then deftly hopped to the side as another of the small children leapt in front of her with their arms outstretched wide in an attempt to capture Hope, and thus end her turn as the "escapee" in their current raucous game of Tag.

As the youngest Mikaelson came to a stop and leant against a long support pole belonging to a colourful set of swings, a wide toothy grin spread across her face as she surveyed her tired-out friends. The small group of kids had been practically inseparable over the past few weeks, enjoying time together spent laughing and getting up to all the kinds of mischief that normal kids of their age often did. They were Hope's fist real friends outside of her own family – and it appeared that she couldn't have been happier to have found pals of her own age to play with.

"No fair Hope, you're using magic to cheat!", shouted out the smallest of the boys' present - who Freya had come to learn over the past few days was called Simon. His face was both red and blotchy as he bent over and placed his small hands on his knees whilst trying to catch his breath.

"Am not!" replied the young witch, as she feigned an indignant look at the suggestion that she was a cheat. "I'm just quicker than you - plain and simple!"

Freya laughed at the youngsters' innocent banter, as she felt a hand come to rest on her shoulder. Turning her head slightly, she saw that Hayley also had a large smile stretching across her lips, as she came to stand next to her daughter's aunt. It warmed the witch's heart to see the carefree, happy expression on Hayley's face - which had spent most of the time fixed in a permanent frown of concern and worry in the first few days after the almost fatal Funhouse incident.

It was only now, three weeks after that eventful night during the Quarter's Carnival, that the hybrid mother had finally begun to relax a little, and let her warmer happy side show its face once more.

The eldest Mikaelson could of course understand how hard it had been for Hayley, in the immediate aftermath of her daughter's close call with death. Indeed their whole family had been shook by the injuries sustained by their youngest member, and how close she had come to having her life ended by the sadistic Neivera pack leader, Hatch. Even their ever-elusive brother, Kol, had returned briefly from his ongoing travelling adventures with Davina - to be by his niece's side during the first few days following the attack upon her. The gesture had gone a long way towards helping to heal the ever-present rift between the youngest of the Mikaelson brothers, and Klaus – much to the rest of the families delight.

Rebekah's immortal blood had of course completely healed away the deep cuts that sharp wolf claws had etched into Hope's flesh, and she had been physically as good as new before that eventful night had even come to a close. But the mental scars that the frightening encounter had left upon the small witch, had taken a little longer to heal away than the physical ones. Her nightmares had returned immediately after the attack - only this time instead of the Hollow's spirit haunting the youngster in her nightly dreams, the main antagonist had become a wolf – large and angry, with long sharp teeth dripping in blood as it stalked towards a terrified Hope.

Neither Hayley or Klaus had let the youngster out of their sight since the incident, and the young witch had spent the first week following that night sleeping in either her mother's or father's bed. Thankfully It had meant there had always been one of them present when the small girl had awoke screaming out into the night, crying about a big nasty wolf that wanted to tear her and her friends apart. It had taken quite a few long discussions between Hope and her mother - and a couple with the elder Mary too - before they had managed to convince the young witch that not all wolves were bad and out to hurt her.

Mary had even morphed into her wolf form on one occasion – away from the eyes of Hope, so as not to subject her to witnessing the pain that came along with the transformation – so that the youngster could be near a calm wolf and form a more positive association with the animal than that of her most recent encounter. Both Hayley and Klaus had remained close at their daughter's side as she had tentatively approached Mary's wolf form, which had lay down on the floor in a diminutive, submissive manner in an attempt to remove any tension from the situation.

Klaus had of course been completely opposed to the idea at first, venomously declaring that no wolf would ever get close to his daughter ever again, and that he would rip them limb from limb if one should even look in her direction, let alone try and approach her. It had taken some extremely heated discussions with Hayley, along with the occasional helpful interjection by Freya herself, to make the volatile Hybrid realise that he could not keep his daughter away from wolves forever - especially considering the child's own mother was half wolf herself. He had finally come to a compromise and agreed to allow Mary's wolf form to be in the same room as his daughter, under the threat that he himself would tear the elders heart out and burn her body to the ground, should she cause Hope even the slightest hint of upset.

Mary had calmly laughed off the hybrid's promise of death when Hayley had relayed the Original's conditions to her, declaring that she would happily tear her own heart out, before she let any harm come to her precious Granddaughter. And true to her word – the planned encounter had gone very smoothly, with Hope even giving the docile wolf a quick hug around its thick furred neck, before turning around to her parents and declaring that she wanted to get a pet dog for the compound – preferably a husky!

Such was the surprisingly resilient tenacity of young children.

Freya was brought back from being lost in her thoughts, as Hayley talked to her whilst continuing to watch her daughter and friends play in the French Quarter's local park.

"It's nice to see her being so carefree again. I had feared that it would take months before a smile graced her beautiful face once more."

Nodding her head in agreement, Freya turned her gaze to fall on the hybrids smiling face.

"I could say the same about you too, Hayley. This is the most relaxed I've seen you in weeks!"

"Well now that Hope's nightmares have calmed down again and she is back sleeping in her own room each night, I feel that we are finally beginning to make some progress with her. It had been touch-and-go for a while."

Freya turned her attention back to the playing children as she responded.

"Are you still planning on taking Hope to the boarding school in Mystic Falls?"

Hayley sighed as she considered the witch's words.

"I wanted to – hell, I nearly just upped and left with her the morning after the Funhouse attack without even speaking to Klaus or anyone else about it."

The hybrid smiled, watching her daughter finally being caught by the young girl Nieve, who loudly proclaimed "TAG!" at the top of her voice as she grabbed onto the smallest Mikalesons arm.

"But I came to realise that Hope is always at her happiest when she is surrounded by her family. The best chance she had of overcoming her newly formed fears due to the attack, was to be surrounded by as much love and understanding from her aunts and uncles as possible."

Hayley chuckled to herself as she continued.

"Besides, she nearly had a full-blown meltdown when I suggested leaving her new found friends here, to make new ones in Mystic Falls. Its seems these guys have all formed quite the bond in the aftermath of their ordeal – even despite Rebekah having compelled away most of their memories from that evening."

Freya frowned a little in response to the hybrids last words, turning to Hayley as she spoke.

"Speaking of which, how come you or Klaus haven't compelled Hope's own memories of that night away? Surely that would have been a quicker solution for overcoming her newly formed fear of wolves?"

Hayley's expression turned quite serious as she turned to Freya.

"Because I won't allow it. I will not have my daughters mind meddled with by any form of compulsion, no matter what the reason. I've seen what it can do to people, Freya, and I refuse to give Hope any reason to distrust any of her family as she grows older."

Freya simply nodded her head in response to the hybrid's words, and turned her gaze back to the playing children. She could understand where Hayley was coming from with her reasoning. Compulsion was not something that she herself ever wanted to be performed on her, so why should her niece have to be subjected to it either.

"Speaking of the healing of minds, how is Keelin doing now? I'm surprised that you are not round at hers today – didn't you guys arrange to spend the day together?"

Freya's eyes dropped to the grassy ground under her feet, as a pained expression slowly crawled its way onto her face.

"We had yes, but…..well I woke up to a text this morning saying that she had been awake most of the night with a headache, and that she just wanted to spend the day catching up on her sleep. Again."

Out of the corner of her eye, the witch saw Hayley's expression grow sympathetic as she hybrid continued to look over her daughter's aunt.

"It will get better you know Freya. She just needs time to heal. It might have been Hope and yourself that sustained the worst of the physical injuries that night, but Keelin went through a horrific mental ordeal. I can't imagine how frightening it must be to have someone force their mind into your body, and exert complete control over your actions - forcing you to hurt the people that you love."

Freya nodded her bowed head lightly, as she listened to the hybrids understanding words.

"It's not something that she'll overcome easily!"

"I know Hayley, and I get how hard this all must be for her. I just wish that she would let me help her work through it. But anytime I try and broach the subject with her, she just completely shuts down, and refuses to even look me in the eyes. It's as though my presence is a just a reminder to her of the injuries that Hatch forced her to subject Hope and myself to. I honestly don't know what I can do if she just keeps pushing me away."

A wave of sadness washed over the Mikaleson witch as she thought back to just how upset her girlfriend had been in the immediate days following the Carnival.

Rebekah's blood had healed the large bite wound on Freya's neck and shoulder within minutes of her first administering healing liquid to her sister. The witch had regained consciousness in the Funhouses dark room to the sound of Keelin venomously refusing to accept any blood from the Original vampire, declaring that she did not deserve an easy escape from the consequences of her actions. The injured wolf had instead insisted on being taken to the hospital, where a team of human doctors had seen to the more severe wounds that had littered her body. Her own accelerated healing had taken care of the rest, resulting in the brunette being released from the medical team's care the very next morning, with an assurance from her own managing Consultant that she could take as much time as she needed to recover, before having to return to her rounds at the clinic.

After driving her girlfriend back to her apartment from the Hospital – a trip which had been filled with uncomfortable silence as Keelin had stared out of the passenger window lost in her own thoughts – Freya had attempted to comfort the wolf by wrapping loving arms around her as she had sat down on her large living-room couch. But she had felt Keelin's muscles immediately stiffen under her embrace, as the wolf had turned her head away from her girlfriends – a look of deep shame upon her face.

Freya had of course tried to explain to her lover that she needn't be feeling any guilt or blame over what had occurred over the past few days. Everything that had happened, had been the result of Hatch's mind controlling the wolf's body, and none of it was the work of Keelin herself. But her girlfriend had broken down in floods of tears in response to her words - and the brunette's sobbing had only gotten worse the more Freya had tried to re-assure her. Eventually Freya had ended up leaving the apartment, devastated in the knowledge that her presence had only been serving to distress the wolf even further.

The two had hardly spent any time together since that day, with Keelin eventually breaking down each time Freya had tried to talk to her girlfriend about what had happened.

It was tearing the witch apart knowing the emotional pain that Keelin had been subjecting herself to over the past couple of weeks, but she was genuinely at a loss at how to try and help the wolf overcome the guilt she was placing upon herself for what had happened.

Hayley's eyes filled with concern as she took in the last words the witch had spoken.

"You said that she has no memory of the attack on the tourist's in the Bayou though, right?"

"No, thankfully she has no knowledge of the massacre that Hatch made her commit that evening. I think he had hid it from her minds eye in an attempt not to draw attention to his plan."

The witch's face contorted into anger as she spoke her next words.

"The bastard made her witness everything that happened in the Funhouse though. The attack on Hope and her friends, and the bite on my shoulder. He tried to make her think it was her own doing, not his."

"She does know that none of us blame her for what happened though - right?"

Freya let out a curt, huffed laugh, as she responded to the hybrid's words.

"Klaus does! He's only just stopped threatening to end her life every time he sees me. It doesn't seem to matter how many times I explain to him that it wasn't Keelin in control of her actions that night – he is unable to see beyond the fact that it was Keelin's wolf form that attacked his daughter. He's also mad at me, saying that I should also be held responsible for letting "an outsider" get close enough to our family to be able to cause his daughter harm."

Hayley let out an incredulous laugh, as she shook her head.

"Don't listen to him Freya – myself, Rebekah, Elijah… hell even Kol, all know that it wasn't Keelin who attacked Hope in that damned Funhouse room. Just the same as we all know that it wasn't Keelin who tried to kill you either. Klaus knows it too! He's just too stubborn a fool to admit when he is wrong."

The hybrid placed a comforting hand on Freya's arm as she continued.

"And Hope doesn't know of the connection between the wolf she saw attack her, and Keelin. Despite Klaus's little rants to you, I made him promise not to reveal to her Keelin's connection to what happened. Deep down he knows how much she means to you Freya, and that hurting Keelin would only hurt you as well. He just…well he's Klaus!"

Freya huffed at the hybrid's last statement, as she rubbed her temples trying to stave off the beginnings of a headache.

"I could do with him being a little less "Klaus" right now!"

The witch could almost feel Hayley's eyes boring into her, as she continued to watch her with concern.

"Freya, why don't you just go round to Keelin's? I know that she said she needs to catch up on sleep, but by the looks of the bags under your eyes, I'd say you probably do too! Might as well get right on that – together."

"Oh gee, thanks for the compliment Hayley!" The witch laughed briefly before continuing. "I told you, she doesn't want my help. She just tenses up and closes off whenever I try and talk to her about it."

Hayley began to slowly walk over to where Hope was currently stood trying to rub mud off a small graze on her knee, that the youngster had just sustained tripping over a curb whilst chasing Simon, during their latest round of tag. Looking over her shoulder as she went, the hybrid smiled at her daughter's aunt.

"Maybe she doesn't need your help, Freya. Maybe she just needs you to simply be there - as the woman she loves."

 **2.**

Sunlight beamed into the Compound's courtyard through its large open windows, bouncing rays of bright light off the various antique pieces of furniture which stood around the large open space. The late morning temperature was mild for the autumnal time of year, giving the air circulating around the courtyard a pleasant ambiance, despite the heated conversation that was currently taking place across the Mikaelson's grand table.

"Marcellus – whilst I am grateful for the assistance you provided my family in foiling the Hollow's plan to harm my precious daughter, my patience begins to wear thin!"

Klaus sat in his usual position at the head of the table, as he held his head in his right hand – his left vigorously trying to rub away a headache by massaging circles into his temples. Directly across from where the Original sat, at the far end of the long, wooden dining piece, paced Marcel Gerard. The self-appointed King Of New Orleans had arrived at the Mikaelson Compound just over an hour ago, and the two immortals had been locked in a fiery debate ever since.

"Elijah agrees with my stance on this Klaus - as would Rebekah were she still here in New Orleans! Just for once, why can't you just support my vision for a peaceful city, without trying to undermine me at every single stage?"

The Original hybrid removed his hands from his head, and wildly gestured around the room as he responded to the younger vampire.

"Convenient that you should petition the support of my family, Marcellus, when they are not here to corroborate your claims! Or not, as I suspect the case would be!"

Marcel quickly ceased his pacing and slammed down both of his hands, palms flat on the smooth surface of the table in front of him. His voice took on a growling quality as he replied to Klaus's words.

"Dammit Klaus, this is important! You know how much un-rest and turmoil the city has been in since Vincent's untimely demise. It wasn't just the Witches of the Quarter that looked to him for guidance and council – many of the human faculty also saw the Regent as an unofficial bridge between the supernatural and the non-supernatural sides of the Quarter. Without him, things both on and off the streets have been deteriorating into chaos."

Flashing the agitated vampire one of the best indifferent looks in his repertoire, Klaus sighed and picked up the full glass of red wine which had been resting on the table untouched since he had poured the beverage over an hour ago. Swirling its contents around, the hybrid made to smell the old vintage's bouquet, before addressing Marcel once more.

"And please, do remind me Marcellus – why is any of that mine, or my family's concern? You wanted to be the King of New Orleans, and own all of the glory and responsibilities that came with that title. So please, don't let me stop you attending to your many royal duties, my liege. Have at it!"

Sighing heavily, Marcel lowered his voice and attempted to calm his outward appearance in a new ploy to gain the hybrid's co-operation.

"Look, it's just one afternoon Klaus. Just a few measly hours! All you have to do is show up, smile, drink the free alcohol, and try not to kill anyone. The swearing in of the new Regent is a huge deal for this city, and your family's peaceful presence at the ceremony will go a long way to help mend some bridges and ease the tensions between factions. "

Seeing that the Original hybrid seemed to be finally listening to his words - albeit whilst making a show of loudly sipping down the red wine from his glass - Marcel edged his luck and continued.

"You managed to refrain from any violence at Vincent's funeral parade last week, and even seemed to enjoy mingling with some of my boys at the event"

Seeing Klaus's eyes flick up at him full of contempt, the Vampire back-tracked his statement.

"Ok, fine – what I meant is you managed to resist killing any of my boys whilst surrounded by mourning witches! But even so Klaus, it's a start. If you want to remain in my city, and co-exist with my people, then you need to be seen to at least trying to make an effort."

Klaus returned his attention back to the now almost empty wine glass held in his hand, whilst considering the words coming from his former protégé.

Marcel was of course correct in his assessment of the turmoil that the city had descended into, since Vincent's head had been liberated from his body to stop the Hollow from killing Elijah and the rest of the Mikaelson family. Once the dust had settled on that fateful Carnival evening, the various factions of the city had been left reeling at the knowledge the man they had trusted many of their secretes and alliances to, had actually been possessed by an ancient evil spirit for the better part of a month. No one knew what sensitive information had been leaked by the spirit, if any, and which of their enemies now held dangerous evidence against them.

It hadn't taken long for news to spread throughout the city that the new mysterious Wolf pack in town had been in liege with the Hollow - and that it was one of those wolves who had dismembered Vincent's body within the Regent's own church of practice. Of course the fact that the wolf had been trying to prevent the Hollow's spirit within Vincent's body from completing its plan to kill the Mikaelson family and take over the City, had been massively downplayed on the gossip great-vine - the focus mainly being on the fact the Regent's life had been ended unlawfully by the young Neivera member.

A wolf-hunt had ensued, with members from all factions of the city hell-bent on finding and bringing to justice not only the wolf responsible for the Regents death, but also every remaining member of the Neivera pack. The lynch-mob had been left wanting however - as the few members of the Neivera pack who had managed to survive both the Hollow's deal and Hayley's murderous spree within their own encampment, had all fled the city long before general word had got out of their treachery.

And as for the young female wolf who had been personally responsible for ending Vincent's life, and thus stopping the Hollow in her nefarious tracks – well, her whereabouts currently remained a mystery.

Klaus had of course formed an instant dislike for the girl, the moment he had discovered her part in the plan to end his daughter's life. Had it not been for the immediate danger that Hope had been in within the Funhouse, he would have ripped the traitors heart out there and then on the sidewalk, back on the night of the Carnival. And from what he had since learnt, it appeared that Freya had come very close to ending the girl's life herself, just after he had departed.

Much as he would have been pleased had his eldest sister actually unleashed her full wrath upon the young wolf that night, the hybrid supposed that it had eventually worked out in his families favour that the girl had survived Freya's magical assault. She did after-all, save Elijah and Marcel from their tricky predicament at the hands of the Hollow – even if that had meant liberating Vincent Griffith of his head. And in turn, her actions had prevented the evil spirit from continuing its relentless tirade against his family as a whole.

i _Well, for now!_ /i

So when the proverbial lynch-mob had come knocking at the Compounds door, demanding to know the whereabouts of the traitorous wolf who had murdered the City's beloved Regent witch, Klaus had not pushed the matter any further with Freya when she had claimed that neither herself, nor her wolf girlfriend, knew the current whereabouts of the young Neivera pack member.

i _Something's were better left under the rock that they decided to climb under to lick their wounds_ /i

A loud cough purposely directed at him by Marcel, brought Klaus's mind back into the Mikaelson's family Compound, and the current conversation he was growing extremely weary of with the vampire.

Sighing loudly - and not entirely un-theatrically - the hybrid pushed himself up from his seat at the grand table, and began walking away from the King Of New Orleans, intent on finding his brother Elijah and beginning a serious drinking session with the fellow.

"As you wish Marcellus, I will grace you with my presence at the new Regent's inauguration ceremony!"

"And?" shouted the vampire, as Klaus began to ascend the sweeping staircase leading up to the family living quarters.

Waving his hand behind him in a dismissive manner, the hybrid rolled his eyes as he continued.

"And I promise not to kill any of the other attendants, Marcellus!"

 **3.**

Freya raised her hand to press the buzzer on the familiar apartment door, but then hesitated when she remembered that Keelin's text earlier that morning had said she was going to be catching up on some sleep, due to a restless night.

 _i Would it be rude to just let herself in? Surely the wolf would already know she was there thanks to her heightened sense of smell?/i_

After a moment of brief hesitation, the witch sighed to herself and flicked the fingers on her right hand - disengaging the various locks which kept the outer-door sealed shut, with a small application of magic. She smiled momentarily as she remembered once telling Keelin when they had first met, that all magic was just opening locks and finding loop holes.

The first thing she noticed as she slowly stepped into the open-spaced apartment, was just how dimly lit it was considering the lateness of the morning and the sun's un-clouded bright presence high up in the sky outside. A quick glance around the room confirmed that the large window drapes were drawn closed, probably having remained in that state from the previous evening when Keelin had no doubt pulled them shut before taking herself off to bed.

The second thing to register with the witch was the uncharacteristically messy state in which the living space was in. Opened take-away cartons lay strewn across both the tall kitchen island and the small coffee table that was positioned in front of the comfy leather sofa that her girlfriend often collapsed on after a long days shift at the Hospital. Several empty cans of diet coke were strewn about the room, some looking as pristine as the day they had left the manufacturing factory, whilst others had been crushed within an inch of their existence - their crumpled state obscuring the usually instantly recognisable world famous logo. Bright colourful cushions, which normally resided on the long leather sofa, lay jumbled into what appeared to be a make-shift futon, next to one of the large wall-to-ceiling window panes on the far side of the room. The large drape which was drawn across the glass opening, hitched up slightly to trail over the haphazard pile of cushions, allowing the smallest beam of sunlight to penetrate through into the otherwise gloomy room.

Freya's forehead furrowed into a frown at the sight of the abnormally untidy appearance of her lover's apartment. Keelin was usually very particular about how clean and tidy she kept her living space, almost boarding on being obsessive with her need to ensure that everything had its own rightful place within her home. The witch had indeed often teased her about that fact since they had begun dating, claiming that the brunette had some sort of anti-wolf OCD - which was unusual given that most members of her species were well known for being disorderly and chaotic when it came to organising their belongings.

It occurred to the blonde that the un-kept state of the wolf's apartment was yet another sign that her girlfriend was continuing with her struggle to adjust back into her normal routine, following the ordeal that she endured at the hands of the Neivera pack leader.

 _i Oh how she wished it had been herself who had ended the life of the cruel Alpha wolf, instead of Mary. She would have taken great pleasure in drawing out his death, and making the bastard suffer for what he had done to Keelin./i_

Sighing at her own frustrations, Freya took off her small, brown-suede outer jacket and hooked it onto the tall coat-stand near the entrance to the apartment. Grabbing a large black bin-liner from underneath the kitchen sink, she proceeded to gather-up all of the empty take out boxes, discarded soda cans, and general litter from around the large room, before tying the bag into a knot at its top, and dropping it onto the floor next to the entrance doorway. After quickly rinsing her hands in the kitchen sink, Freya made her way over to the closed wooden door which marked the threshold of her lover's bedroom. Gently turning the door knob so as not to make too much sound, she pushed the door open and quietly stepped through into the room.

Compared to the rest of the apartment, Keelin's bedroom looked to have remained as tidy as when the witch had last seen it, just under a week ago. There were no clothes laying out of place on the floor, no dirty laundry overflowing out of the white linen basket tucked away beside the large oak wardrobe, and all of the cushions & throws that the wolf usually had laying across her bed when it wasn't in use, were neatly arranged into a pile on top of the new dresser, that Freya had bought to replace the one that the two of them had broken during their heated love making.

i _Or had it been Hatch who had been the one who was in control, during the moment that Keelin's hands had roughly pushed her naked body up against the furniture - causing its wooden structure to fracture?_ /i

As she tried to push the unwanted and disturbing thought out of her mind, the witch's eyes came to rest on the peaceful, sleeping form of her girlfriend - who was currently buried under her thick duvet with her back facing towards the rest of the bedroom. Only the rear of the brunette's head was visible, with her thick curls spilling out over the soft pillow upon which she rested. Freya stood on the spot for a minute or so, content to watch the serene rise and fall of the duvet covering her lovers body, and listen to the sound of the soft rhythmic breathing that floated across the room and caressed her ears.

The witch hadn't realised that she had fallen into a form of relaxed trance, until the sudden sleep rasped sound of Keelin's voice broke through the cadenced haze blanketing Freya's mind.

"Are you planning on just standing there all day….or are you actually going to come join me?"

Freya smiled to herself at her girlfriend's words.

i _Of-course the wolf had known the she was there - what else had she expected_! /i

The witch quickly unbuttoned her shirt and released her bra with deft hands, before removing her boots and skinny jeans - letting them all fall in a pile on the wooden floor as she slipped under the duvet covering Keelin's bed, in just her small laced briefs.

Keeping her voice as low as her lover's had been, Freya whispered lightly above Keelin's ear as she scooted over and wrapped a protective arm around the wolf's midriff - gently pulling her close so that she could be the big spoon to the brunette's little.

"I'm sorry if I woke you honey. Go back to sleep – I just wanted to be with you."

Freya could feel Keelin's body slowly relax against her own, as the wolf pushed back with her lower half against the witch's own toned stomach, bringing their figures to press flush against each other. The brunette glided a soft hand over Freya's own, which had begun leisurely stroking back and forth along the top rim of cotton panties, that were the only clothing that Keelin had worn to bed. Interlacing her fingers with the witch's, the wolf sleepily let out a low hum of contentment, before speaking - her eyes still held shut.

"I've missed you."

The witch smiled into the back of Keelin's neck, happy and a little relieved to hear the relaxed tones of her girlfriend's admission. The wolf's voice had been so full of stress and self-loathing over the past few weeks, that Freya had forgotten just how alluring Keelin's tones of contentment could be. She felt a small flame of heat begin to flicker in her lower stomach, its warming caress teasing with the promise of spreading further down her body.

i _Now's not the time Freya_ /i she admonished gently to herself in her mind i _You only came here to sleep and comfort the woman you love. That's all!_ /i

As though sensing the stir of arousal that was beginning to spread throughout the witch's body despite her best efforts to supress it, Keelin slowly arched her lower back, pushing the rear of her hips up-against Freya's core more firmly. The action resulted in a small moan escaping from the blonde's parted lips, in a hot breath that washed over the wolf's skin. The flame spreading throughout Freya's body began to burn warmer with desire - causing the witch to subconsciously press her thighs tighter together in an attempt to gain some form of relief for her growing need.

A few seconds passed, before Freya felt her hand start to be gently manoeuvred by Keelin, as the brunette pulled it slowly from where it had been resting on the lower half of the wolf's stomach, down towards the apex of her parting thighs. Just as the tips of the witch's fingers were about to be drawn on top of the soft cotton briefs covering Keelin's core, Freya stalled their advance, as her mind began to fill with not entirely welcome questions.

i _Did Keelin think that she had come over to the apartment purely to pester her girlfriend for sex? Were the suggestive moves that the wolf seemed to be instigating, a result of Keelin's own desire, and thus what she actually wanted - or was the brunette simply trying to appease Freya in an attempt to ease the tension that had developed between them over the recent weeks?_ /i

The two of them hadn't really shared any intimacy since the Funhouse incident - only the odd fleeting cuddle here or there during the rare moments when Keelin had allowed Freya to lend her support. For the most part, the wolf had been keeping her girlfriend at arms-length - seemingly too ashamed of what had happened at the Carnival to allow herself the comfort that the presence of Freya's touch usually provided.

Freya could not deny that it had been a difficult and frustrating time for her, having had all of her offers of help and compassion rejected. But the witch had been trying her best to respect the wolf's need for space whilst she tried to come to terms with everything that had happened - and had purposely reigned in the usual amount of loving touches and physical contact that she would engage in when in the brunette's company.

Sensing the witch's sudden hesitancy, Keelin let out a small sigh and turned herself around in Freya's arms - her face coming to rest just centimetres away from the blondes. As the wolf's bare breasts pressed up against her own, Freya fought to supress another involuntary wave of arousal that threatened to betray her.

i _My god, I'm not a horny teenager for Christ sake. Get…a…grip!_ /i

Keelin's deep brown eyes locked onto hers, and Freya saw that they were somewhat red and puffy around their rims, indicating that the brunette had been crying recently.

Concern quickly spread its way throughout her chest, which in turn helped to dampen down the burn of desire that had been holding its own illicit party between her thighs. The witch raised up her now-free hand, and began to gently caress Keelin's cheek whilst she spoke.

"I'm here for you Keelin, however you need me. Even if that's just to have someone to fall asleep next to."

The wolf's eyes dropped down, as a pained expression crawled its way across her face. Freya watched on in concern as Keelin gently began to chew her bottom lip, before quietly addressing her girlfriend.

"I don't deserve your kindness, Freya."

The witch opened her mouth in readiness to rebuke Keelin's words, however the wolf quickly continued before she had chance to get her words out into the open.

"I know that you think I am being unreasonable, and I don't know - maybe you're right. But I can't just pretend that everything is ok after what happened."

Freya watched as Keelin's eyes slowly trailed down towards to the space between her neck and shoulder.

Although her sister's immortal blood had quickly healed away most of the damage caused by the wolf-bite that she had sustained in the Funhouse, Freya knew that there were still a few faint scars littered across the area – their thin, silvery white trails a permanent reminder of how close she had come to courting death that night. Rebekah had later explained that whilst the venom in a wolf's bite was not fatal to a human witch in the same way it was to vampires, the toxins within the poison still had some adverse effects on the healing capability of vampiric blood - resulting in the small marks that now lived on Freya's skin.

The wolf's eyes began to fill with tears, as she trailed her fingers softly along one of the scars that ran from the crook of Freya's neck, down to her shoulder. Keelin's light touch sent a small involuntary shiver along the witch's spine, as goose-bumps broke out across her right arm.

Voice shaking slightly with emotion, the brunette continued to speak as the tears which had been brimming in her eyes now began to flow freely down her cheeks.

"I….I almost killed you. And Hope! And although I now know that Hatch had been manipulating my mind and actions, I can't help but feel that if I had been stronger...or if I'd have been more in tune with my own wolf instincts…then maybe he wouldn't have been able to gain such easy access to…."

"Keelin, stop!"

Freya panicked internally - surprised at the abruptness of her own words, and then worried when Keelin's eyes quickly widened with surprise and a small hint of hurt as they locked back onto her own. But she couldn't continue to listen to her lover blame herself for the actions of the sadistic pack leader Hatch, and the infinitely more evil and heartless spirit of the Hollow.

"There is nothing that you could have done! I've been studying the spell scroll that Elijah and Marcel found at the old Church where the Hollow had been hiding out in. The incantation that the spirit used to grant Hatch access to your wolf-mind was both ancient and powerful, with its roots buried deep within the origins of the original werewolf curse."

Freya gently took hold of the hand with which Keelin had been tenderly feeling along her scars, along with the brunette's other which had been resting listlessly on the witch's hip. She held onto them both tightly, trying to anchor the wolf's attention on the words that she was speaking.

"The Hollow was the one that created the curse that you and your family are bound to. It is her magic that began the transformations which wolves are forced to endure every full moon, and it is her magic that created the existence of the primal, wolf-side of a humans mind when they trigger the curse. When the obnoxious bitch decided to manipulate that magic to allow Hatch's wolf mind access and control over yours, it was using the same primeval power that the original curse was created with."

The witch let go of one of Keelin's hands so that she could softly wipe a falling tear from her lover's face.

"No wolf could have resisted or prevented that spell from working, Keelin. None!"

She felt a small slither of hope rise up within her chest, as she saw the wolf's head nod ever-so-slightly in response to her words.

"If anyone should be shouldering blame for the danger that Hope's life was placed in, it's me. I knew something was happening with you - and yet despite everything that I witnessed, I still just let you go off to the Neivera encampment without trying to stop you, or coming with you. I let my own damn pride get in the way and cloud my judgement."

Shaking her head gently to herself, the witch's eyes dropped from Keelin's own as she made to continue.

"I should have just…."

Freya's words were cut short as Keelin suddenly leaned forward and crashed her lips onto the witch's in a desperately fierce kiss. Once the initial shock had quickly worn off, Freya allowed herself to melt into the wolf's passionate kiss, as her eyes fluttered closed in response to the wolfs advances. Heavy breaths flowed between the two lovers, as Keelin's tongue brushed suggestively over the witch's lower lip - seeking permission for entry, and quickly being granted it.

A low, deep moan pushed its way up through Freya's throat and into Keelin's mouth, as she felt both hers and the wolf's nipples begin to harden against each other – arousal gripping both of their bodies within it's clutches. Keelin began to move one of her legs, slowly but determinedly thrusting it in-between the blonde's thighs, with it coming to rest pressed up against her now throbbing core - causing Freya to break away from the wolf's lips and lean her head back slightly with a sudden gasp of pleasure.

The witch could feel her warm, wet need beginning to wipe onto Keelin's leg, despite the still present panties that she was clothed in. The wolf moved to position herself above Freya and thrusted her thigh up again, causing the desired friction in the area that she knew her girlfriend needed it the most. As the brunette began trailing open mouthed kisses down her chest and over the top of her left breast, Freya quickly placed a gentle but firm hand under her lover's chin, raising the wolf's face up so that her eyes came level with the witch's own.

Speaking through panted breaths, she addressed the wolf who was now looking at her with questioning concern.

"Keelin wait….are you sure? We don't have…..have to do anything…..if you aren't feeling…."

The wolf leant down and gently kissed Freya's mouth - smiling as she pulled away after successfully silencing the witch.

"I need this Freya. I need you. Please….."

Freya quickly searched Keelin's eyes, finding only love and desire burning through into their deep brown pools.

Feeling the flames of her own longing blaze up high in unbridled lust, Freya raised herself off the bed slightly to meet Keelin's mouth in another passionate, searing kiss. Their tongues danced together across gasping mouths, as one of Keelin's hands eagerly twisted up into the back of Freya's tousled hair, pulling the witch's lips tighter against her own. She let out another shameless moan as the wolf's other hand dropped down and lightly stroked over the centre of her now saturated, sodden briefs.

"Damn….Keelin…."

Keelin's mouth began to trail down the side of Freya's neck, nipping and sucking at exposed skin as the witch breathlessly cried out with broken words of pleasure in response to the increased pressure being applied against her lace covered centre. Continuing her journey south, the wolf's lips came to hover over one of Freya's hardened nipples - hot breath teasing the protruding nub, as Keelin raised her eyes upwards towards her lovers to ask her a question.

"Tell me what you want baby - tell me what you need?"

The sultry tones with which her girlfriends voice dripped, coupled with the fierce desire burning in the wolf's gaze, caused Freya's hips to thrust up into Keelin's waiting hand, all of their own accord - a fierce flash of pleasure shooting through her core as the brunettes fingers brushed up against her hardening clit as a result.

"I need you….oh god….. I want you inside of me"

In any other circumstance, the normally serious witch would have been deeply embarrassed by the unashamedly pleading words which were bursting forth from her own mouth. But as Keelin's hand slowly pushed under her soaked briefs, and trailed a long finger up the middle of her dripping wet parting, Freya lost all sense of her customarily serious demeanour, and let the intense waves of pleasure completely take over her.

The wolf continued to stroke gently up and down the witch's parting, lightly tapping the swollen bud of Freya's clit every time her fingers brushed over it, whilst her tongue now eagerly swirled and flicked itself over the brunettes excited nipple.

"Baby…..don't tease….please"

The witch implored Keelin, as the burning desire between her thighs began to ache with the intensity of her need for release.

Sensing how close her lover was to the edge, the wolf's lips smirked against Freya's breast as she quickly removed the offending briefs partially blocking her way, and then thrust two fingers deep into the witch's core. A load moan of pleasure left both of their mouths – Freya's in response to the intense feeling of Keelin's fingers stroking firmly against her inner walls, and Keelin's in answer to the hot, silky wetness that flowed down over her hand as she began a steady rhythm of thrusting within the witch.

Freya could feel a familiar tightness rapidly begin to build up within her – the one that always signified that her orgasm was close to erupting. Her eyes began to roll back, and her hands twisted into the bed sheet that lay underneath her sweat sheened body in a vague attempt to keep her body grounded within the moment. Keelin increased the pace with which her hand caressed the quivering walls of Freya's heat, as she took her mouth away from the now bruised nipple, and quickly lowered it down over tight blonde curls - her lips coming to rest over the top of the witch's pulsing clit as she spoke encouraging words.

"Come for me baby…..let it all go…."

Freya barely registered the wolf's words, as Keelin's tongue brushed firmly back and forth over her clit whilst deft fingers simultaneously pressed hard up against her g-spot.

"Keelin…..I'm…..oh…."

The witch's words trailed off into a silent cry of gratification as her back arched off the bed in response to her orgasm hitting at full force. Her soft walls clenched greedily around Keelin's soaked fingers, as Freya rode out the intense waves of pleasure that rocked through her whole body.

The wolf slowly eased the thrusting of both her tongue against Freya's clit, and her fingers against the spot deep within her lovers core that she knew drove the witch crazy - as she felt spasms of the witch's orgasm begin to wane. Despite her heavy breathing and racing heart, Freya instantly felt the loss of the wolf's touch as Keelin slowly withdrew fingers from inside of the her. The wolf proceeded to lick the excess juices from her digits as her eyes locked onto the blondes - a devious smile breaking out across her face.

"You….look pretty pleased…with yourself there", Freya managed to husk out between laboured breaths – a smile of satisfaction forming upon her own flushed face.

Her smile quickly turned back into a look of heated desire, as she noticed the large dark wet patch that had spread across the wolf's own cotton briefs, when Keelin raised herself up into an upright straddling position over the witch.

"And I'd say you look like you want to do unspeakable things to me, Miss Mikaelson." Cocking her head slightly, the wolf's eyes slowly began to bleed from a deep chocolate brown into a swirl of amber and yellow. "Want to show me what those things are?"

Freya moved with fast reflexes, finding a sudden strength that she didn't know lay within her as she quickly flipped their positions around. Pushing her body confidently down on top of Keelin's, as her hand pressed firmly up against the wetness of soaked briefs - the witch lowered her lips to whisper into the wolf's ear, as she heard Keelin let out a deep moan of desire.

"With pleasure baby…..with pleasure."


	24. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

 **1.**

The New Orleans skyline was an impressive sight, no matter what time of day it was captured by the naked eye. Several large skyscraper buildings could always be seen towering proudly over the smaller office blocks and residential apartments of the city - and when viewed from across the Mississippi River on a calm clear day, the silhouetted reflection of the structures bouncing off the water's shimmering surface, only served to add even more depth and beauty to the Big Easy's urban spectacle.

Of course were you unlucky enough to be gazing out across the great expanse of water on a cloud covered, rainy day - then the usually breath-taking panorama of the city became much more of a gloomy vision, with far less hope and prospect being marketed by the imposing horizon of buildings.

Such was the state of the weather on that particular October's late afternoon, as a lone solitary figure stood staring out over the choppy waters that separated the old Algiers neighbourhood from the main bustling heart of the New Orleans city. As the slight framed woman lent with her shoulder against a thick concrete covered steel beam, high up above a deserted building site below, rain saturated wind blew forcefully past her down cast face and caused short brown hair to ruffle vigorously on top of her head. The gusts of air that rushed through the exposed framework of the unfinished building, produced loud whistling and howling resonances, that would not have sounded out of place in a Hollywood horror movie – the type where an unsuspecting heroine was being stalked by the murderous monster of the tale, its long talons extended ready to strike the lead character down as it slowly crept up behind her.

Only this wasn't a movie studio's painstakingly constructed set piece, and the woman stood looking out over the grey and murky Mississippi waters with sad listless eyes, was most definitely not the heroine of the recent events that had unfolded.

i _More like a reluctant evil henchman who had somehow survived the climactic battle between good and evil, and was now an outcast - exiled to a life with no family or friends_ /i

The fantasy genre analogy that had randomly flickered through her thoughts made the young woman laugh out loud briefly, before she shook her head gently and breathed out a heavy sigh. The night would soon be drawing in for its lengthy and uninvited shift, meaning the temperature on the top floor of the tall "under-construction" building would shortly be dropping to an uncomfortable level of bitter chill. Even now, after several weeks spent rapidly adjusting to her new life of vagrancy and solitude, the girl still struggled with the cutting cold that nipped harshly at her flesh during the long dark hours of twilight.

As she began gliding her eyes along the overcast New Orleans horizon for one last time before intending on retreating further back from the building-frames open edge, to the sleeping-bag that she had lay out earlier near the centre of the concrete floor – the appearance of a recognisable scent began to fill her nostrils, its perfume of vanilla pods mixed with a hint of exotic spices conjuring up the image of a familiar face within her mind.

"Bit of a miserable day for a visit out to the suburbs, isn't it?"

She didn't need to turn her head away from the rainy view to know that her unexpected visitor had heard her question as the person slowly approached her from behind.

Soft footsteps that had been treading lightly across the rain covered concrete, came to a halt a few metres behind the young woman as she closed her eyes and allowed herself a small, quick smile.

i _No matter where I find to hide, she always manages to track me down_./i

Opening her eyes once more and letting the smile fade from her lips, the girl slowly pushed herself off the support beam upon which she had been leaning and twisted her body around to face her visitor.

"Have you placed a tracking device on me or something?" she questioned - only half joking with her weak accusation.

"No - but that can be arranged!"

The brown eyed woman's voice was both low and grave in its sobriety, with no hint of the light hearted and kind tones that the short haired girl had grown fond of during their brief time spent as friends. Gone was the exuberant familiarity with which they used to speak.

She sighed, before trying for what must have been the hundredth time over the course of the last few months to convey just how deep her regret and guilt ran.

"Keelin, I…."

"Don't Alanna. I'm not interested."

The wolf's words were brisk and terse, as her eyes flashed a hard-steeled look towards the younger woman - effectively silencing the girl and causing her gaze to immediately drop to the ground. She stood awkwardly twisting her hands together, as she waited patiently for Keelin to continue.

After a few long and drawn out seconds, the older wolf let out a brief sigh of her own before relaxing her posture slightly. She pulled a large, full rucksack around and off her back, placing it on the floor between the two of them, before nodding in its direction.

"Food, water, and some warmer clothes this time as well, since the weather is only going to keep on getting worse."

Alanna looked at the large bag for a few seconds, before raising her eyes up to Keelin's face. The older wolf was surveying the layout of the scaffolding and concrete slabs that made up most of the un-finished building which Alanna had been using as her base for the past couple of days.

Keelin shook her head gently before speaking again.

"You should find somewhere less open to the elements. And more secure."

"I like it here", the young wolf replied with a faint smile. "I can see for miles around, meaning that no one can surprise me - and for the most part its quiet and peaceful. I can relax here better than the last place I was at."

A large gust of wind howled through the structure – its haunting whistling presence seemingly determined to make a mockery out of Alanna last words.

"Fine, whatever. Just stay hidden!"

Keelin turned briskly and began to walk back towards the scaffolding ladder which would lead her back down to the abandoned building-site's ground floor. Alanna's brow creased, as she quickly tried to think of something to say to the departing wolf. Anything that might make the older woman stay just that little bit longer and stave off the inevitable loneliness that would soon be encasing itself back around her.

"Have you guys managed to locate where the Hollow's spirit now resides?"

Her projected voice took on an echoing quality as it rattled around the exposed support beams of the fragmented structure – highlighting the thin veil of fear which had embedded itself in her words.

Keelin stopped in her tracks - sighing yet again and seemingly frustrated at the younger wolf for insisting on bringing up the subject of the evil spirit. When she spoke, it was with her back still turned to Alanna - preventing the wolf from being able to see the distress that her question had caused to rise up on the older woman's face.

"All we know is that it's trapped back in the spirit world – for now. The new Regent has been in near constant contact with the witch Ancestors, as they try and pinpoint its exact location."

"So Hope's safe? I….I'm safe?"

Alanna couldn't help the tremble which had made its way into her voice as she had asked her question. In the three months since the eventful night of the Quarter's Carnival, the wolf had been living in constant terror of the Hollow returning and hunting her down – intent on making her suffer for her betrayal of the pact that the Neivera wolves had made with the spirit. A cold shard of fear quickly ran down the length of her spine as she remembered the moment in which she had bitten deep into the neck of the witch who had been host to Hollow's spirit.

As her teeth had been severing through all of the bone and muscle holding the man's head in place, a shrill and invasive voice had quickly screamed out in her mind – with words that she would never forget for as long as she lived.

"I WILL RIP YOUR SOUL APART FOR THIS WOLF….I WILL FIND YOU!"

The Hollow's voice had abruptly disappeared as soon as Alanna had completely severed the male witch's head from the rest of his body, but the young wolf knew that its effect on her psyche would remain in place until the day she died.

"For now – maybe."

Keelin's voice quickly brought the young wolf out of her thoughts and back into the moment. The wolf had turned back to face Alanna and had been studying the girl's face as she had stood lost in her terrifying memory.

"Klaus and Elijah have killed every last one of the Hollow's followers that they could find. But not before learning that the spirit had been in very weakened state during her time spent in Vincent's body. It appears that the Hollow hadn't quite accumulated enough power from all of the wolves that she had slaughtered to be able to transfer herself into another living body when you kil….."

The older woman's voice trailed off, wincing as she saw Alanna's immediate teary reaction to being reminded that the evil spirit had murdered all of the Neivera pack members that it had taken hostage.

Freya had eventually told Keelin how Elijah and Marcel had discovered a room full murdered Neivera wolves – men, women and children who had all been taken from the pack by the Hollow in a bid to force the remaining members into doing her dirty work. Keelin had also since learnt that Alanna's own mother and unborn baby brother had been amongst those slaughtered by the Spirit in that run down, abandoned church. When the young wolf had arrived at the religious building on the night of the Carnival, intent on trying to free her fellow pack members from their incarceration – the discovery of their dismembered and mangled bodies had thrown the wolf into a blind rage, resulting in the unfortunate death of Vincent Griffith.

It had been a rash and reckless move by the young woman, resulting in her becoming top of the "most-wanted" list amongst the city's various factions. But deep down, Keelin knew that had she been in Alanna's shoes during the moment the wolf had discovered the slaughtered members of her family – she would have reacted in a similar manner.

i _She once had._ /i

The older wolf softened her voice slightly in response to Alanna's tears, as she continued.

"I doubt any of us are going to be completely safe from the tyranny of that evil bitch until the day she is completely destroyed. If that's something that is even possible! But for now, I think we have a brief respite."

Alanna nodded her head gently, as she quickly tried to wipe away the rogue tears that had fallen down her cheeks. Drawing in a quick breath, the young wolf blurted out her next words in a rush of speed, determined that Keelin would hear at least some of them before no doubt cutting her off once again.

"She had my family Keelin – I didn't know what else to do. Hatch convinced us all that if we followed her instructions and helped her kill the Mikaelson family, then she would give our loved ones back to us and let us move on. And a small part of me wanted to help her, after witnessing Freya murder my sister…."

A sudden fierce and frightening amber glare from Keelin, coupled with a deep growl emitting from the brunette's throat, caused Alanna to quickly correct her words.

"….I mean after the Hollow messed with my head, and made me think that Freya had murdered my sister. I swear to you Keelin I would never have gone along with Hatch's plan had I of known the truth. I tried to stop….

"Enough! I told you, I'm not interested in your excuses Alanna. Just take the damn supplies - and for Christ sakes find somewhere less out in the open to hide if you're going to continue insisting on staying in New Orleans"

Lowering her head again, the younger wolf nodded slowly as Keelin turned to leave once more.

"Thank you for the provisions. I don't deserve your help though."

Without breaking her stride or turning back, Keelin replied in a cold, dark tone.

"You're right, you don't!"

As she reached the top of the scaffolding ladder and began to climb onto its waiting rungs, the older wolf briefly turned her head back towards Alanna as she let out a heavy, laboured sigh.

"I'll find you again, soon, with some more food and supplies. Just try and stay hidden – Freya will kill you on sight if she discovers that you are still in the city."

Alanna didn't doubt the older wolf's warning in the slightest. She had seen the pure hate that had swirled in the witch's piercing emerald green eyes, as they had bored into her own on the night of the Carnival. And she couldn't blame Keelin's girlfriend either – she knew that she deserved all of the witch's hatred, and more. Keelin's too.

"Why Keelin? Why are you helping me?"

The older wolf had already begun her descent back down to the ground, almost causing Alanna to miss her resigned, whispered reply when it drifted back up to the top floor in a gust of rain saturated wind.

"Because I was once in your shoes."

 **2.**

Loud and gaudy music pulsated down through the old, cobweb covered floorboards above, as a lone hooded figure slowly made its way down a narrow stone stairway. What little light there had been coming from the open doorway that lead to the lively night-club above, was gradually bleeding out of existence as the shrouded person descended further down towards their destination. The stale air which assaulted its nose and had initially caused a brief coughing fit as it had first hit the back of its throat, was filled with the scent of stale beer and sour sweat - which was no doubt the result of the drunken revellers whose feet pounded on the popular venue's dancefloor, now high above the figures head.

As the person finally reached the bottom two steps, it came to a stop and rummaged a slim hand into its large jacket pocket to pull out a gas-fuelled flip lighter. Flicking its cover and bringing to life a small flame of heat, the figure used its faint golden glow to study the old wooden door that now blocked any continued advance into the depths of the night-clubs basement. The dark wood that made up the rickety barrier was both old and extremely worn. It was attached to its surrounding frame by metal hinges that were so corroded, it was hard for the guarded being to tell where the joints ended, and the rust coloured door began.

Despite the damaged and weak appearance of the entranceway before it however, the figure knew that it was one of the strongest barriers that it was likely to ever come across – the magical power emitting from the door almost arrogant and smug in its capabilities.

With a small cough, the individual cleared its throat and spoke the four words that it had memorised from an old scrap of paper, which had been covertly passed to it along an ancient apothecary table only a few hours ago.

"Innocentia. Deditionem. Sacrificium. Absoluto."

Upon the completion of the last word, a large archaic symbol speedily manifested in the middle of the battered door – its bold strokes glowing in appearance, and filling the air at the bottom of the staircase with an unnatural red luminosity. As quickly as the symbol had appeared, it dissipated again – leaving just the unimposing and battered wooden door in its wake.

Only now, the shrouded individual could no longer feel any power radiating off the decrepit structure.

Quickly pulling the hood that partially covered its face as far down as it would go, the figure reached out and lightly pushed the door open – its rotten wood creaking loudly as it swung inward to reveal a long corridor stretching out ahead. Several torches of fire strutted out from their high position along the passageway's walls – the flickering flames providing a primitive form of relief from the total darkness threatening to overcome the smothering and claustrophobic hallway.

As the individual began to carefully tread along the corridor, its booted feet made quiet spattering sounds as they stepped through the numerous puddles of murky water scattered along the stone floor. A strong unpleasant smell began to make itself known as the figure progressed along the passageway – a mixture of rancid sour and acrid scents churning together to form a distinct impression in the figure's minds-eye.

Death.

Soon enough it came to the end of the shadowy, oppressive walkway - which ended with another door blocking the ease of further advancement. This time however, the figure could detect no magic or mechanical locks reinforcing the barriers strength. It was simply just an average door, waiting patiently to be opened.

A faint beat of music from the lively nightclub overhead could still just be heard vibrating its way along the dark passageway, as the individual pushed open the latest door with ease. After taking a few seconds for its eyes to adjust to the even darker ambiance of the room that lay ahead, the slight framed being slowly stepped through the threshold and came to an immediate, abrupt halt.

The putrid stench of death greatly intensified as the figure tried to quickly take in the disturbing scene that was playing out before it.

The room itself was just as oppressive and suffocating as the emaciated corridor that had given birth to it. Circular in shape, its floor and walls had been constructed out of hundreds of small stone-blocks, which had long since had their original crisp edges eroded away, giving them a now smooth and slippery appearance. Again, the only light provided in the space came from a couple of naked fire torches whose flames trembled back and forth - seemingly being teased by a non-existent breeze.

The crude glow emitting from the torches, weakly highlighted a large and naked, muscular man who was crouched over on the floor in the centre of the room. Sweat glistened across his hairless bald head, as his lips rapidly moved back and forth producing a string of seemingly unintelligible whispered words – with only the whites of his eyes visible as his eyelids flickered rapidly up and down.

Between the man's open thighs struggled a small young woman, whose hands and feet had been bound together using two pieces of old fraying rope, that were cutting cruelly into her flesh as she futilely strained her limbs against them. The girl's scantily clad body jerked about on the cold floor as it lay out in front of the crouched muscular man – her head being held aloft by a rough hand clutching tightly onto her dirty blonde hair.

As the newly arrived individual watched on, the naked man quickly picked up a large ceremonial knife with his free hand, that had been lying on the floor beside one of his grime covered bare feet. In one swift movement, the knife was brought up to the struggling woman's throat, and drawn across it, - slicing open flesh and blood vessels as it slid effortlessly along. Wet, blood-laced choking noises began to erupt from the girl's mouth, as her body jerked violently up and down off the floor a few times, before it eventually became permanently still in death.

Placing the blood covered knife back onto the floor, the burly man took hold of a small, wooden bowl next to it. He raised the crude receptacle up to the dead woman's throat and let several drops of viscous blood drip down into it, as he continued to hold onto thick locks of dishevelled hair.

"I assume that since you managed to remove the ward from the front door of my office, you haven't just lost your way whilst trying to find the toilets!"

The man's voice almost startled the slim hooded figure, which had remained standing just inside of the small cavernous room's entranceway with eyes fixed wide on the gory scene in front of it. After a brief pause to quickly collect its thoughts, the individual found its voice and responded.

"If this was my office, I'd be demanding to speak to HR about the lousy working conditions. You are at the very least in need of some decent air-con!"

"Hah!"

The naked man huffed to himself as he placed the wooden bowl back onto the stone floor, being careful not to spill a drop of the fresh blood collected within it. Releasing his grip on the dead woman's hair, he slowly raised himself up from his hunches and walked over to a small inconspicuous stone table that was situated on the far side of the room. From its surface he plucked what appeared to be a dirt-stained rag, and began to wipe the remains of the murdered girl's blood from his hands – turning to face the waiting figure as he did so.

"Humour does not suit you, witch!"

"Nor does sacrificial human blood bring out the subtle colours of your eyes, Seer. But yet, here we are!"

Nodding his head gently, the man quickly grabbed a thick dark coloured robe from behind the stone table, and draped it over his toned body. Turning towards the waiting figure, he carefully stepped around the dead woman's body in the middle of the room, and moved to stand a few paces in front of the newcomer.

"I will have nothing to do with you, or your family witch. You would be best advised to take your leave – now!"

The figure slowly lifted two hands up towards its face, and carefully drew back the large hood that had remained in place up until that moment. As blonde tousled hair spilled all around the now visible female face, emerald green eyes locked sharply onto the man's own heavy lidded ones.

"I'm afraid I can't do that Seer. You see - you have something that I need."

The witch's eyes remained locked onto the Seers, as she broke into a humourless, vicious smile.

"So we can either come to some form of mutually beneficial business agreement for its acquisition, or I can take it from your lifeless, cold, dead corpse. The choice is of course, yours to make."

The man's eyes suddenly took on a far more alert appearance, as his lips pulled back into an ugly sneer.

"You dare come into my dwellings and threaten me, witch? You have no idea the power I hold at my fingertips?!"

Static electricity suddenly became palpable in the air surrounding the two figures - its presence causing the growing pool of spilled blood lying on the cavern's floor begin to lightly bubble from heat. The man's left hand quickly flew up to claw at his head, as a trail of red liquid began to run down from the corner of each of his eyes – staining his cheeks with two deep crimson tracks. Veins began to push up against the thin layer of skin covering the Seers temples, as his face started to viable shake in response to an unseen pressure being placed upon his cranium.

"No Seer – YOU have no idea of mine! I would advise not making me educate you further on the matter!"

Taking the struggling man's continued silence as a sign that he was prepared to listen to her request in more detail, the witch released her magical grip on the Seers body – causing him to cough loudly and gasp for air, before quickly trying to regain his composure before the imposing woman.

"Now, as I was saying – you have something that I want. An old, ancient relic to be precise, forged a long time ago on the very day that my siblings gained their immortality."

Still rubbing his temples, the Seer slowly straightened himself back into a fully upright stance, locking his eyes back onto the woman.

"If it is the artefact I think that you mean, then I am afraid my price will be very high, Witch!"

He quickly looked around at the dead woman's lifeless body, who's skin was beginning to take on a grey, blotchy appearance as it remained lying on the stone floor.

"One that I doubt you will be willing to pay!"

Freya's eye's glistened with a hard, malicious fervour, as she cocked her head slightly to the side.

"There is no price that I wouldn't pay Seer, when it comes to protecting the woman I love."


End file.
